


We Always Do

by crow_writing



Series: Haikyuu!! Omegaverse [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alpha Semi Eita, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst, Anxiety Attacks, Childbirth, Discussion of Abortion, Fluff, Hospitals, M/M, Mentions of alcohol, Mentions of suppressant overdosage, Miscarriage, Mpreg, Omega Shirabu Kenjirou, Omegaverse, Pack Dynamics, Panic Attacks, Post-Time Skip, Pregnancy, Slight Canon Divergence, Vomiting, mentions of adoption, parental neglect, shirabu is a doctor after all, there’s hints Shirabu has anxiety
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-08
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 10:35:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 35
Words: 93,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29915595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crow_writing/pseuds/crow_writing
Summary: Semi and Shirabu navigate the road to parenthood when Shirabu becomes pregnant.Aka the SemiShira mpreg no one asked for.
Relationships: Aone Takanobu/Futakuchi Kenji (background), Goshiki Tsutomu/Koganegawa Kanji (background), Kawanishi Taichi & Shirabu Kenjirou, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Semi Eita & Tendou Satori, Semi Eita/Shirabu Kenjirou, Shirabu Kenjirou & Tendou Satori, Tendou Satori/Ushijima Wakatoshi
Series: Haikyuu!! Omegaverse [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2199855
Comments: 21
Kudos: 67
Collections: BHF





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I’m finally posting this fic. It’s separate from the other SemiShira mpreg I posted recently. I’ve been working on this one for three months and it’s around 93,000 words. This is part of a larger AU I’ve been working on and off for six years as I’ve been in and out of the fandom. This fic is finished—which feels so bittersweet—but I’m just finishing up proofreading. It’s not beta read since I don’t know anyone to do so or how it works, but I’ve read these chapters a lot. I’m going to be uploading chapters in batches as I get proofreading done.
> 
> Now for actual notes, I threw location out the window. There is no real location that this AU takes place in so all the characters can be in one place. They still went to the schools that they did though. There’s also certain things I changed, like the characters staying in Japan instead of playing for teams outside the country. And I’m a coward and wrote that Tendou grew his hair back out lmao
> 
> I’ve referred to being alpha, beta, or omega as secondary sex instead of gender and it’s apparent at birth, or through a 3D scan in current day. I feel like the presentation aspect leads is kind of impractical. I went into more detail but started stumbling on my words.
> 
> There’s other ships mentioned, but they don’t really add to the plot. I didn’t tag them because I honestly thought it would be rude if someone was looking for those. If someone thinks I should tag them I will but they’re as follows: Daichi/Suga, Lev/Yaku, Bokuto/Akaashi, Kuroo/Kenma, Kiyoko/Yachi, Tsukishima/Yamaguchi, Kyoutani/Yahaba, Matsukawa/Hanamaki, Kindaichi/Kunimi, Aran/Kita, Suna/Osamu, Tanaka/Ennoshita, and Iwaizumi/Oikawa Some of them are literally only mentioned like once or twice.
> 
> I think that should be about all of the notes. Sorry this is such a long note but I feel like these are important things to mentions.

**Tuesday, October 25, 2022**

Kenjirou and Eita’s phones go off in unison, waking both of them. Kenjirou groans. He’s still tired and sore and just in an overall funk post-heat. He doesn’t want to be bothered by whoever has sent them both a text message; he wants to continue to sleep curled up in the nest with Eita.

Eita moves to reach for his phone on the nightstand and Kenjirou lets out a whine. Eita ruffles his mussed up hair with his other hand. Kenjirou nuzzles his face against Eita’s bare chest, burrowing further into his side. Kenjirou doesn’t bother to reach for his own phone, especially when he sees Eita’s; it’s a message from Satori in the pack group chat.

**Satori 6:53am**

_It’s positive!!!_

**Satori 6:53am**

**_ Attachment _ **

There’s a picture of multiple positive pregnancy tests laid out across Satori and Wakatoshi’s bathroom counter. This isn’t the first occurrence; it’s not even the second. This is the third time Satori has been pregnant, but he’s had two miscarriages before.

Satori and Wakatoshi have been trying to have a baby for over a year and a half at this point, ever since they got engaged. The first miscarriage had been devastating for them. They had publicly announced the pregnancy following Japan taking silver for the volleyball portion of the 2021 Olympics, so it had gained some press coverage. The second pregnancy announcement hadn’t left their pack, but that miscarriage had been just as crushing as the first.

Satori just finished his heat on the tenth of this month. Kenjirou and Eita hope the best for him and Wakatoshi this time. Having a baby means the world for them and they know their pack leaders will be wonderful parents.

“Tell him we don’t want to see something he pissed on,” Kenjirou quips.

He has an arm draped over Eita’s chest and he pulls him closer yet. He’s still in the throes of post-heat so he’s feeling extra clingy.

Others in the pack have started to pour in their congratulations, Tsutomu and Kanji having the most thrilled reactions. Even Takanobu has offered his congratulations. Taichi comes off a little snarky, but he means well.

**Eita 6:56am**

_Congrats you guys!! Ken said not to show us something you pissed on_

**Kanji 6:56am**

_You pee on those??????_

**Taichi 6:57am**

_How did YOU think they were taken?_

**Tsutomu 6:58am**

_He’s googling it now and he’s almost in tears_

**Hayato 6:58am**

_But what did he think you did with it???_

“Are they okay?” Eita mutters, staring at his phone as this all unfolds.

“I don’t really care. I want to go back to sleep.”

Eita runs his hand up and down Kenjirou’s back. “Go ahead and go back to sleep, babe. You had a rough week. You deserve it.”

“I do deserve it.” Kenjirou can feel his eyes get heavy.

* * *

The bed is cold when Kenjirou wakes later in the day. The nest is an absolute mess. He had tediously put it together the two days leading up to his heat, but over the last five days, things were bound to be torn out of place. There’s blankets spread out and pieces of clothing strewn everywhere. One thing is missing though and that’s Eita.

Kenjirou can smell lunch being made. He didn’t realize he had slept that long.

He tries to drag himself out of bed, but his bottom _hurts_. He’s sore everywhere, but his nether regions take the cake.

When he’s finally able to get himself up, he passes the full-length mirror on his way to the bathroom and he can see the toll the last week has taken on his naked body. He’s covered almost head to toe in bruises, bite marks, and scratch marks. He’s…a mess.

He _knows_ it’s not going to clear up by the time he returns to work on Friday and wonders if Eita has any concealer he can borrow. If not, he’s going to send him out to get some. He hates when his coworkers gossip about him. They know what’s been going on while he’s been gone, but it doesn’t mean they have to speculate just how wild he and Eita get during Kenjirou’s heats.

After relieving himself, he pulls out one of Eita’s hoodies and a pair of lounge pants from the torn apart nest, slipping into them before heading downstairs.

He pads downstairs where Eita is finishing up plating lunch at the kitchen counter. He’s in only his lounge pants and he’s as equally torn up: scratch marks all across his back, bite marks lining his neck, various bruises.

“You’ve seen better days,” Kenjirou says as he sneaks up on Eita. He snakes his hands around Eita’s waist, pressing his face into Eita’s scent glands at his neck.

“I was just going to get you up.” Eita takes Kenjirou’s left hand into his own and leads it up to his mouth, pressing kisses against his knuckles, leaving an extra long kiss against his wedding and engagement bands. “You aren’t looking much better yourself.”

“Heats are rough.”

“I know. My ruts are too,” Eita pauses for a moment, “Ready to eat?”

* * *

**Monday, October 31, 2022**

Kenjirou has just gotten off a twelve hour shift his fourth day in a row. He normally doesn’t work so many days in a row, but having missed nine days for his pre-heat, heat, and recovery, he had to make up for some of the slack. He’s dead tired though and is looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow.

Normally, he would go straight home, but Satori is throwing a Halloween party for the pack and he promised he would go, so by seven thirty, he’s pulling up to the Ushijima residence. Eita is already there, along with the rest of the pack.

“You didn’t dress up?” Satori frowns when Kenjirou walks through the door.

Satori is decked out. He’s dressed in a vampire costume.

“I’m a doctor,” Kenjirou deadpans, motioning to his scrubs and lab coat.

“You’re a doctor everyday.”

“Kenji’s not dressed up.” Shirabu looks over to where Kenji is situated on the couch with Tsutomu and little Mirai.

“Sure I am. I’m pregnant.”

“So am I and look at me!” Satori retorts.

“Yeah, but I’m almost in my third trimester and have three kids. I don’t have the energy for it.”

Kenji and Takanobu became part of their pack when Kanji became Tsutomu’s mate. The three of them weren’t a very big pack to begin with, so it came very naturally that they would just join the eight former Shiratorizawa members. Wakatoshi and Satori still remain the pack leaders though.

Kenji and Takanobu have three daughters and Kenji’s twenty-five weeks pregnant with their son. Emiko—an omega—will be five on the fifteenth of November. She’s the perfect mix of her parents with shoulder-length white hair and brown eyes. Three and a half year old Shiori—also an omega—is the spitting image of Kenji, with long brown hair and chocolate brown eyes. Two and a half year old Mirai—an alpha—is the most intimidating toddler Kenjirou has ever met. She looks exactly like Takanobu, except she has thin white eyebrows and matching hair tumbling down to her shoulders.

After some more banter, Kenjirou heads off to the kitchen. His stomach kind of hurts and he hasn’t eaten since lunch at noon, so he figures it’s just hunger. Satori and Wakatoshi have made a variety of different foods, including a lot of sweets made by Satori of course. There’s a few bowls of candy set out too.

“There you are!” Eita smiles.

He had joked about coming as a slutty nurse, having already known that Kenjirou would come in his scrubs, but he’s opted not to considering it’s a get together between the pack and there’s four little girls running around.

Eita stops snacking on whatever he’s snacking on to wrap an arm around Kenjirou. Kenjirou leans into him, feeling good to be back in his arms. He’s not sure why he feels so clingy, but he suddenly doesn’t want to leave Eita’s side.

“You seem like you missed me.” Eita cocks an eyebrow, rubbing a hand up and down Kenjirou’s arm.

“Shut up,” Kenjirou mumbles half-heartedly.

“Uncle Ken!”

Reon’s daughter, Mako, comes barreling toward Kenjirou, a smile on her face. She tackles his leg, wrapping her arms around his waist.

She’s a five year old beta girl. She looks just like her father. She has her long, dark curls half pulled up and she’s dressed as a princess.

Reon had met a beta woman immediately after high school. They hit it off right away and the pack welcomed her with open arms. They mated after only a year and were married by the year after. By mid December of the next year, they were announcing she was pregnant. The pregnancy was fairly healthy, but something went wrong at birth and she didn’t make it. She passed days after Mako was born in late July of 2017.

Reon has raised a fairly well-behaved girl. She has her moments—she’s a child after all—but Reon has a good girl on his hands. He loves her more than anything.

Kenjirou lifts her up and she squeals. “How’s Mako-chan?”

“Good! Daddy did my hair! And I get to dress up! Am I pretty, Uncle Ken?”

“One of the most beautiful girls in the world.”

Kenjirou doesn’t want to leave Emiko or Shiori out should they ask. Mako’s satisfied with the answer because she’s absolutely beaming under the compliment.

“Uncle Ken didn’t dress up.”

“Kid has a point,” Eita jokes.

“I’m a doctor,” Kenjirou insists.

“Uncle Eita didn’t dress up either.” Mako pouts, pointing to Eita.

“You got me.” Eita ruffles Mako’s hair, careful not to mess it up. She giggles.

Once Mako gets bored, Kenjirou puts her down and she goes to join Takanobu and Wakatoshi in the dining room where they’re helping Emiko and Shiori carve pumpkins.

“Did you eat yet?” Eita asks.

“When would I have eaten?” Kenjirou heads over to the counter to grab some food.

“I don’t know.” Eita shrugs.

“My stomach is bothering me though.”

“Definitely eat something then.”

Eating doesn’t alleviate the pain and Kenjirou knows he doesn’t have to use the restroom, so he’s not sure what the issue is. He ignores it for now. It’s not the worst pain he’s ever had.

* * *

**Friday, November 11, 2022**

The pack normally goes out for dinner for each of their birthdays, and Eita’s twenty-eighth isn’t an exception. Being that Kenji’s birthday was the day before, they decided to combine the celebrations this year, considering how exhausted he is from his pregnancy. Friday night made more sense than a Thursday night anyway.

Kenjirou had requested Eita’s birthday off and made sure to pamper him earlier that day: breakfast in bed, morning sex, a bath together afterwards, just anything Kenjirou could think of to celebrate Eita. Eita mainly wanted to spend the day with Kenjirou though.

They go out for lunch with their families: Eita’s parents and sister along with Kenjirou’s brothers.

When they return home, they spend the day in Eita’s studio and Eita bounces song ideas off of Kenjirou. Kenjirou doesn’t feel like he’s the best at writing, but Eita loves to have his opinion and they get spend time together. It’s also how Eita wants to spend the time before they go back out for dinner; Kenjirou has no complaints.

By evening, they’re out at an upscale sushi restaurant with the pack. They have a big group of fifteen, so they’ve reserved a private room. It also helps keep down public attention considering the amount of pack members that are regularly in the public eye. They don’t have to wait long, luckily, once everyone is gathered at the restaurant.

Getting drinks is fine, but it’s once the food arrives that Kenjirou doesn’t feel well. For some reason the smell of the food just hits him differently. He ends up excusing himself to rush off the restroom. The pack glances at each other.

“I should go check on him,” Eita announces. He follows after Kenjirou to the restroom.

Kenjirou doesn’t even have the chance to close the stall door before he’s leaning over the toilet retching up his lunch. Eita squishes into the stall beside him and rubs at his back.

“It’s okay,” Eita whispers, “Just let it out.”

When there’s nothing left, Kenjirou rocks back and forth as he dry heaves. Eita leaves him momentarily to grab a paper towel to wet. He returns to Kenjirou’s side and brushes his bangs back, dabbing at his forehead. Kenjirou breathes heavily as he tries to recompose himself.

“What brought that on?” Eita asks when it seems Kenjirou is finally done. He passes the paper towel to Kenjirou so he can wipe his mouth.

“The smell just got to me.”

“The smell? It wasn’t that strong.”

“I don’t know. I just felt sick.”

Kenjirou forces down his nausea through the rest of dinner. He’s not sure why he feels so sick.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thursday, December 8, 2022**

“Satori?”

Kenjirou stops in his tracks as he passes one of the occupied rooms in the emergency department. He’s working a twelve hour shift and he’s ten hours into it. It’s just after five. It’s been a long day and the last thing he expects is to find two of his pack mates in the emergency room.

Satori is curled up on a hospital bed, shocking red hair falling into his face as he burrows into a pillow. He’s hooked up to an IV and there’s an ear-splitting beeping emitting from the monitors he’s tethered to.

Satori doesn’t even move upon hearing his name. Wakatoshi is seated bedside, stroking Satori’s hand. He looks toward Kenjirou as he stands in the doorway.

“Ah, Kenjirou,” Wakatoshi speaks, turning toward him.

Wakatoshi is a man of few words and shows limited emotion, but over a decade of knowing the man, Kenjirou has learned to read him a little. He can see heartache in what minimal expression he does show.

“What are you doing here? Is everything okay?”

That’s a dumb question. Kenjirou _knows_ it’s a dumb question. He works in the _emergency_ department. There are cases that are less severe, but by the way Satori won’t even look at him and the way Wakatoshi looks stricken with grief, he knows it’s something serious.

“No,” Wakatoshi answers simply, returning his attention back to Satori.

Kenjirou’s going to have to pry an answer out of him. The pack’s head alpha usually doesn’t offer much information without being prompted first.

He steps into the room. The smell of distress from both alpha and omega along with the sterility of the hospital room hits him like a train. His stomach lurches and he can feel bile climb his throat, but he pushes it down. He can’t let himself feel sick at the moment.

He can see now that Satori isn’t still, but is in fact sobbing, body quivering with each shaky breath. His sobs are quiet, but definitely there. It’s haunting to see. Normally, Satori is a loud crier, so he must be really exhausted.

Kenjirou takes a seat on the edge of the bed. He reaches over and rubs at Satori’s thigh. Omegas tend to get touch-starved and are very touch-based, so having the presence and touch of another omega can have a calming affect.

“What happened?” Kenjirou presses. He watches Satori who still won’t even look at him.

Up close, Kenjirou can see just how how exhausted Satori is, how pale his skin is. A slight sheen of sweat coats his body and the hospital gown sticks to the surface. His hair is messy. His hair is similar to the cut he had in high school, though he no longer spikes it. It’s stuck up in various directions. Underneath his bangs, tears stain his cheeks.

“Satori was cramping and he started bleeding,” Wakatoshi answers.

Kenjirou’s heart drops. He knows what that means and it’s definitely not good. Satori just passed his tenth week of pregnancy on the fifth of this month. Kenjirou doesn’t dare say the words to them. They probably already know judging by their current states, whether Satori’s attending physician has broken the news or not. Kenjirou knows Satori’s probably suffered another miscarriage.

“Why didn’t you tell anyone?” Kenjirou asks, staring Wakatoshi down, “You know I work here, right?”

It comes off snappy. There’s more bitterness in his tone than there should be. He cares about his pack though. He doesn’t always outwardly show it, but they’re his _pack_ and he _loves_ them, so it’s only natural he’s going to be concerned when one of them is hurting.

“We’ve only just gotten here. My main focus was Satori.”

It’s a fair point. If something happened to Eita, Kenjirou would be focused on his mate first and foremost before he contacted their pack. It doesn’t make him any less worried though.

Kenjirou turns his attention back to Satori, expression softening slightly. “Are you feeling any pain right now?”

Satori has stopped crying—probably calmed by the presence of another omega—but he’s deathly still. He doesn’t lift his head when he shakes it no. At least he’s not feeling anything.

Satori isn’t Kenjirou’s patient, but he’s going to be his main priority. Kenjirou’s pack comes before his job.

“Oh, Semi-sensei.”

Kenjirou looks toward the doorway to find Kondo, one of the floor’s nurses. She’s a petite beta with short black hair and bright gray eyes.

“Do you need something?”

“The patient in room six was asking for you, but,” She pauses, gaze shifting between the occupants of the room, “Is this your pack?”

“Yeah, they are.”

“I’ll have Sato-sensei take care of them. Do you want me to have your other patients covered?”

Kenjirou spares another glance at Satori before nodding. “Yeah, that would be nice.”

Kondo gives him a sympathetic smile. “Go ahead and clock out. We’ll take care of everything. Take care of your pack.”

“Thanks, Kondo-sensei.”

Kenjirou stands from his place on the bed.

“I’ll be right back,” He tells Wakatoshi, “I’ll give everyone else a call too.”

“Thank you, Kenjirou.”

Kenjirou’s still feeling sick as he steps into the hallway and he finds himself in the nearest restroom, head buried in the toilet bowl, emptying the contents of his lunch.

This isn’t the first time he’s experienced nausea on the job. He’s been experiencing it since Eita’s birthday last month. The strong smells that accompany a hospital certainly don’t help to ease his queasy stomach.

He’s woken up a couple of nights and found himself bent over the toilet. Eita wakes up with him each time and whispers soothing words as he rubs his back. Eita’s been urging him to get checked, but he hates going to the doctor. He’s a professional and likes to think he knows himself better than another doctor would.

When the sickness passes, Kenjirou stands on shaky legs. He leans over the sink, rinsing his mouth and splashing some water on his warm face.

When he looks in the mirror, he finds himself deathly pale, dark rings encircling his eyes. He knows he’s been pouring himself into his work lately, but he didn’t think it was this bad. He shakes his head and reaches over to the towel dispenser, dabbing the paper towel against his face, simultaneously drying his hands and face.

He walks back into the hallway. His stomach does another flip at the smell of disinfectant, but he doesn’t think he has anything else to heave up.

His first task is figuring out who Satori’s attending physician is and seeing what they have to say. He asks a nurse who points him to Doctor Sato. It doesn’t take him long to find her still in room six.

Doctor Sato is a tall alpha woman. She has a stocky build, long blond hair wrapped into a tight bun, and emerald green eyes shielded behind glasses. She stands taller than Kenjirou.

He waits outside the room for her. As she’s leaving, she seems a little startled to find him standing there.

“Semi-sensei, Kondo-sensei told me about your pack member in room one. Guess you found out he’s my patient.”

Kenjirou gets straight to the point and asks, “What do you think? Is it a miscarriage?”

Sato frowns as she nods. “Unfortunately. It’s not a complete one either. He’s going to have to have a D&C and be kept for observation. It would be best to call your pack in for comfort. He’s going to need it.”

Kenjirou nods, his expression falling.

Kenjirou can’t even imagine how Satori and Wakatoshi must feel, let alone experiencing this for a third time.

He thanks Sato and makes his way to the break room to clock out. He settles down into one of the couches, fishing his phone out of his lab coat pocket.

He decides to call Eita first. Out of their pack—besides Wakatoshi obviously—Satori is closest to Eita and Tsutomu. Wakatoshi is closest to Reon, so he’ll be Kenjirou’s third call. Being that Eita is his mate, he decides to make him his first call.

He already has a text message from Eita asking if he’s okay. Kenjirou realizes he’s been on edge enough for Eita to feel it through their bond. He doesn’t bother to reply to the message and instead simply calls him. Eita answers immediately.

_“Hey babe, what’s up? Is everything okay?”_

“Satori’s in the hospital.”

_“He’s with you, right?”_

“Yeah.”

_“What happened? Is he okay?”_

“He had another miscarriage,” There’s a pause before Kenjirou continues, “I checked with his doctor. He’s not feeling any pain right now, at least physically. They’re going to keep him for observation, but she suggested we keep him company. He needs the support right now.”

_“They’ve gotta be heartbroken,”_ Eita sighs, _“We just finished up recording this song. We still have studio time today, but I’m sure everyone will understand.”_

“I think he’d like you here.”

_“Yeah, of course, I’ll be there as soon as I can. Did you call everyone else?”_

Kenjirou runs a hand through his hair, pushing back his angled bangs. He still has to make at least five more calls before he can return to Satori and Wakatoshi.

“Not yet,” Kenjirou sighs.

_“Okay, I’ll be there as soon as I can. Let him know. Hang in there. I love you.”_

“I love you too.”

_“See you in a while.”_

“See you,” Kenjirou replies as he presses end.

It’s about forty after five as he calls Tsutomu. He actually doesn’t answer. Just as Kenjirou’s about to go back through his contacts to call Reon instead, he gets a call back.

“Hello?”

_“Ah, Kenjirou! Sorry I missed your call! What’s up?”_

“Hey brat, you done with practice yet?”

_“Yeah, we’re just finishing up. I have to shower yet, before I head home, but—“_

“Make plans to come to the hospital.”

_“The hospital? Is everything okay?”_

“Satori had a miscarriage.”

Tsutomu gasps, _“Is he okay?”_

“They have to do a minor surgery on him and they’re going to keep him overnight, but he should be fine.”

_“I’ll be there as soon as I can. I’ll call Kanji to tell him where I’m going. Take care of him until I get there, okay, Kenjirou?”_

“Of course, Tsutomu.”

_“I’ll see you!”_

“Yeah. Be careful.”

He hangs up with the youngest omega of their pack. The calls with Reon, Hayato, Taichi, and Kenji go quickly and smoothly. Like Tsutomu, Reon is just getting out of practice; Hayato has gotten home only a few minutes ago; Taichi has just clocked out; and Kenji promises to leave the girls with Takanobu, figuring his presence would be more helpful in this situation. Everyone promises to meet at the hospital as soon as possible.

It’s about six by the time Kenjirou returns to Satori’s room. He’s sitting up now, at least. Wakatoshi is squished onto the hospital bed with him, Satori curled into his side. Wakatoshi has his arms around Satori and Satori leans against Wakatoshi’s chest, hands wringing into his track jacket. Wakatoshi places a kiss against the top of Satori’s head. It’s a softer side that Kenjirou doesn’t often see of their head alpha.

Kenjirou’s still feeling sick and his head is starting to pound. He tries to push his discomfort aside though. It’s not about him right now. It’s about Satori and Wakatoshi.

Kenjirou unceremoniously plops down into the seat that Wakatoshi previously occupied.

“Everyone’s on their way. They’ll probably start the procedure soon.”

Kenjirou feels like he’s talking more to himself than anyone. He’s never been good at the bad news part of his job. Usually, he comes off rather disagreeable, so providing sympathy isn’t the easiest thing for him. It’s especially hard trying to find the right words for his pack mates.

“Satori!”

Tsutomu comes barreling through the door and over to the bed, crawling in front of Satori’s curled up legs and wrapping him into a hug.

“Hey Tsutomu,” Satori replies. It’s weak and his voice sounds hoarse, more than likely from crying earlier.

Kenjirou gags when Tsutomu gets close and he can feel his stomach lurch all over again.

“Did you shower?” Kenjirou asks.

Tsutomu gives him an innocent expression, cocking his head. He still has his arms wrapped around Satori. “I came as fast as I could.”

So that’s a no.

Tsutomu makes work scenting Satori, the affects of another omega giving him a sense of calm. Kenjirou supposes he could have done that as well.

Kenjirou goes to pull out his phone to text Eita, but before he can do that, he’s walking through the door.

Kenjirou has to fight the urge to run to him and throw his arms around him. He’s not sure why though. He doesn’t feel touch-starved, but he’s been feeling the need to be around his mate as much as possible lately, which has been hard considering his work.

“Sorry, I’m late.” Eita offers a sympathetic smile.

“About time,” Kenjirou quips.

“Love you too.”

Eita pauses for a moment when he sees Kenjirou, taken aback by his sickly appearance. He doesn’t bring attention to it, knowing that that’s not what Kenjirou would want right now.

He walks over to the bed, perching himself on the edge, reaching over Wakatoshi to rub a hand against Satori’s arm. It’s a tight fit for sure.

“How are you hanging in there?”

“I’ve been better,” Satori mutters.

Slowly, Reon, Hayato, Taichi, Kanji, and Kenji also file in. The room is crowded by the time Kondo returns to the room around a half hour later.

“Is this the whole pack?”

“Almost,” Kenjirou answers.

“I’m sorry but I’m going to have to ask everyone to wait in the waiting room. We’re going to take Ushijima-san to surgery now. His alpha can come with us until he’s put under.”

Everyone gives Satori and Wakatoshi hugs, scenting them for comfort and support. The pack gathers in the doorway and waits for Tsutomu to give Satori one last, tight hug.

“I love you, Satori.”

Satori ruffles Tsutomu’s hair and places a kiss against the top of his head. “I love you too.”

Tsutomu joins everyone as they shuffle out. They start toward the surgery waiting room and Kenjirou is finally able to clasp onto Eita’s hand. He cocks an eyebrow at Kenjirou.

“Feeling clingy today?” Eita jokes.

Kenjirou nuzzles his face into Eita’s neck near his scent glands, muttering, “Shut up.”

The group starts toward the surgery waiting room, but Taichi lingers around the back.

“Kenjirou.”

“Huh?”

Kenjirou stops in his tracks. The rest of the group looks back in concern, but Kenjirou waves them on. Eita hesitates and doesn’t leave Kenjirou’s side. Taichi doesn’t seem deterred though.

“I didn’t want to ask in front of Satori, but,” Taichi pauses before asking bluntly, “Are you pregnant?”

Kenjirou’s eyes widen. He feels Eita tense and the grip on his hand tightens. He’s left speechless. He opens his mouth to try to speak, but the words just won’t come.

However, Eita seems to be able to say something, “Why would you say that?”

“I can smell it on him.”

Kenjirou lifts his free hand to his neck, rubbing at his scent glands to see if maybe the scent will linger on his hand. Eita leans down and takes a whiff on the other side. Kenjirou gives him a light shove.

“Oh my god, how did I not notice?” Eita mutters.

They’re both shocked. It’s not something that was off the table. They’ve discussed this already. It’s been something in their plans since they were both still in university.

Suppressant abuse was rampant in Shiratorizawa, at least while the pack was in school. It was the only way omegas were allowed to play sports. Typically, an omega shouldn’t use suppressants until at least eighteen, but many athletes do, and it was expected of omega athletes attending the academy. It’s also recommended an omega has at least one heat a year while using suppressants, but Shiratorizawa expected omegas to use them all year around. Even if their heats would fall during breaks, they couldn’t miss training camps. Many omegas at Shiratorizawa started using suppressants before even having their first heat.

Overdoses were also common. Both Kenjirou and Satori had found themselves in the hospital a time or two after having overused suppressants. They watched Tsutomu like hawks though, making sure he was careful about his usage. Just because they weren’t careful didn’t mean that the youngest omega of their pack had to be reckless. Kenjirou may not have had the best relationship with Tsutomu then, but he wasn’t going to let him harm himself. They were a pack even then.

Kenjirou kept up his suppressant usage even after high school through his second year of university. He was used to living this way and he had a lot of pressure on him, so he didn’t change the way he used them, which landed him in the hospital once again with an overdose.

At the time, he and Eita were already in a serious relationship. They were living together, juggling school and shitty jobs just to make the rent. They weren’t mates yet, but it was under serious consideration. However, Kenjirou wasn’t having his heats due to suppressant use, which made mating a problem considering that omegas can only have a proper mating bond during their heats.

Eita stayed by Kenjirou’s side during his hospitalization. It was during that stay that Kenjirou was given an ultimatum: stop taking suppressants or never be able to have children. Suppressants are hard on an omega’s body and can damage reproductive organs. Kenjirou had really put himself at risk and continuing that behavior would only harm him more.

The couple had a long talk. Eita assured Kenjirou that he would stay with him no matter what he chose. He wanted Kenjirou to take care of himself, of course, but there’s safer ways around not having heats, like sterilization. Eita assured Kenjirou he would still love him even if they could never mate or have children.

They had been together for almost three years at that point, officially since Eita’s graduation. Eita was in it for the long haul, and Kenjirou was too. Kenjirou wanted a future with Eita. He wanted to bond; he wanted a marriage and children.

Suppressants made it easier to get through school, but they were too hard on Kenjirou’s body. He decided he would have to get adjusted to having heats for the first time in his life. At twenty years old, he had his first heat and immediately bonded with Eita.

They took precautions during Kenjirou’s heats as they finished school. They used birth controls, which aren’t hard on an omegas body like suppressants. Eita had one year of school left at the time, but Kenjirou had three. Eita wanted children too, but Kenjirou finishing school came first.

After Kenjirou finally finished his residency earlier this year just before his twenty-seventh birthday, they decided that they would stop using protection. If Kenjirou was to get pregnant, he would get pregnant. They would happily have a baby at that point. They weren’t officially trying, but they also weren’t not trying. They would take whatever outcome came from his heats.

However, Kenjirou has been so wrapped up with work that a pregnancy wasn’t the first thing on his mind. The idea that it may have happened already is a surprise to say the least.

“I didn’t know if you just found out and were hiding it because of Satori,” Taichi says.

Kenjirou shakes his head. “No, we had no idea.”

“I’d take a test if I were you.” Taichi shrugs, walking past the couple to catch up with the rest of the pack.

Eita turns toward Kenjirou, taking both of his hands into his own and giving them a squeeze.

“Are you okay, babe?”

Kenjirou nods. “I guess I’m just a little surprised. If I really am pregnant, it just seems kind of soon.”

“You still want it, right?”

“Of course. Do you?”

“Absolutely.” Eita smiles as he pulls a hand away to card it through Kenjirou’s hair, pushing his bangs back. He places a kiss along his hairline.

“But Eita, don’t you think it’s bad timing?” Kenjirou mutters, looking up at Eita, “I can’t imagine how Satori and Wakatoshi will feel.”

Eita freezes. He grasps Kenjirou’s hand tighter. Eita had been wrapped up in the excitement of the possibility of a baby that he hadn’t thought of their pack mates yet.

“We don’t know for sure yet,” Eita replies, hand roaming from Kenjirou’s hair to cup his cheek, his thumb caressing his cheek bone, “Let’s figure that out first.”

“Yeah, I’ll take a test like Taichi suggested and if it’s positive, I’ll make an appointment. I’m off tomorrow and Monday, maybe they can get me in.”

“Sounds good.” Eita smiles at Kenjirou and his heart soars. “It’s going to be okay.”

“I know.”

Kenjirou clasps his hand against the back of Eita’s head and guides him forward, joining their lips together.

“You don’t look so good though,” Eita says with a frown when they release. He rests their foreheads together.

“I’m just exhausted from work.”

Eita doesn’t seem convinced, but he doesn’t press it.

“We should head back.”

“I’ll meet you there. I’m going to get one of our spare pregnancy tests.”

“I’ll tell them you had to check something and you’ll meet up soon.”

Kenjirou’s hesitant to let Eita go, but they part ways. Eita makes his way toward the surgery waiting room and Kenjirou goes to track down a nurse. They pull a male omega pregnancy test out for him, along with a Tylenol for his pounding head, and he thanks them, asking them not to say anything about the subject. He doesn’t want his coworkers gossiping about his possible pregnancy, especially before he has a chance to confirm it.

Eita sends Kenjirou comforting signals through their bond as he heads off to the restroom. It doesn’t take him long to actually take the test, but the waiting is the hard part. He sets a timer on his phone for five minutes, the earliest the test might show results. He checks social media as he stands in the one person restroom. He’s almost startled when the alarm does sound. He pockets his phone and reaches for the test.

The lines are faint. He thinks it could probably use a couple more minutes, but he can almost make out the two little lines. He knows these tests, but he checks the box anyway.

Both lines means pregnant.

The lines are a little darker now. There’s definitely two.

He’s torn regarding his reaction. He’s happy, he truly is. He and Eita want children. They’ve planned it for over six years. He’s done with school and his residency; he’s got a good job. Eita’s music career is full time now. They’re in a good position to have a child.

But there’s Wakatoshi and Satori, his pack mates. Kenjirou can’t even begin to imagine the pain they’ve gone through trying to have a baby. How would they feel when they find out their pack mates are expecting without really trying?

Kenjirou has concerns about his own pregnancy, assuming the test is right. Suppressant abuse can make conceiving and carrying a child hard. He wasn’t much better than Satori regarding suppressants. In fact, he was worse. Satori quit as soon as he was done with volleyball in high school. Kenjirou kept pushing himself for two more years.

He hasn’t taken care himself recently, either. He consumes tons of caffeine to keep himself going. He works twelve hour shifts, but he finds himself working longer than that sometimes, and he finds himself turning to coffee and energy drinks, whatever he can, to keep himself going. It’s not a good habit and it’s definitely not good for a developing fetus. What do those things mean for his baby?

He knows the first trimester is the riskiest. It’s the time with the highest chance of miscarriage. After all, Satori’s had three during this time. It’s unlikely he’s past that point. His last heat ended on the twenty-fourth of October and it’s the eighth of December, so technically he would be just past eight weeks.

They can hide it until he knows it’s safe. He won’t show for at least a couple of weeks, maybe longer, and it might not be obvious to anyone but himself and Eita. He can keep wearing baggy clothes. His scrubs certainly don’t show anything. There’s products he can use to hide his changing scent too; they’re not safe past the first twelve weeks though. It would also give Wakatoshi and Satori some time to mourn before having to hear their pack mates are having their own baby.

But what happens if the pregnancy fails? It’s important for an expectant person and their partner to have their pack for comfort when a miscarriage occurs, especially an omega.

There’s so much to consider and he doesn’t even know for sure that he’s pregnant. The test is ninety-nine percent accurate, but there’s always that one percent chance it could be wrong.

He’s jolted out of his thoughts by his phone dinging. He looks at the text message.

**Eita 7:02pm**

_Are you okay? You’ve been gone a while._

**Kenjirou 7:02pm**

_Yeah, I’m coming. Sorry._

**Eita 7:03pm**

_I was just worried about you. What did the test say?_

**Kenjirou 7:04pm**

_Let’s talk about it later._

**Kenjirou 7:04pm**

_I’m on my way back._

Kenjirou pockets his phone. It’s good news, but now’s not the time to discuss it. He wants his main focus to be on Satori and Wakatoshi.

He throws the box and the stick into the trash can. He stops to grab some covering spray. The emergency room keeps it in stock in case a patient needs to hide their pregnancy for whatever reason. He makes his way to the waiting room. It’s about fifteen minutes after seven at this point. Wakatoshi has returned to the pack and they’re fussing over him, as they should.

Kenjirou takes a seat next to Eita. He leans against him, holding onto his arm. He feels like he could fall asleep. He’s so tired from work and worrying about Satori, but here he is with his alpha. Eita runs his fingers through Kenjirou’s hair and he feels like he could really drift off.

“You’re awfully clingy tonight,” Taichi remarks. He has a knowing look.

Kenjirou shoots him a glare.

It’s after eight by the time a nurse comes to fetch them. Wakatoshi is allowed back first, but it’s not long before the rest of the pack is allowed to join him. Satori is still groggy from the anesthesia.

Reon figures that no one has eaten, so he makes a trip to a nearby restaurant to get takeout. The pack has a quiet dinner, scattered about Satori’s hospital room. Satori isn’t up for eating much and Wakatoshi picks at his food too.

The group is only allowed to fuss over Satori and Wakatoshi for a couple of hours before the hospital is pushing them out. It’s way past visiting hours at this point, but they make exceptions for packs. Wakatoshi stays, of course, but everyone else is sent home. They wish their pack leaders well, promising to come check on them when Satori is discharged, before heading their separate ways home.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thursday, December 8, 2022**

“So,” Eita says, stretching out the word.

“‘So’ what?” Kenjirou responds.

They’re making their way out to the parking garage. Somehow Eita had managed to get the parking space next to Kenjirou when he arrived earlier so there’s no need to part ways before heading home.

“We haven’t discussed the pregnancy thing.”

“It was positive.”

There’s a biting cold as snow swirls around them, but Kenjirou feels warm from the swell of excitement he senses through their pair bond.

Eita’s smiling as he flings his arms around Kenjirou’s neck. Kenjirou’s smiling too; he even feels tears sting in his eyes. He lets himself feel everything he couldn’t let himself feel earlier as he stood alone in the tiny hospital restroom. Eita’s laughing happily and it makes Kenjirou’s cheeks hurt how much he’s smiling at the sound.

“I love you, Eita.”

“God,” Eita sighs, “I love you so much, Kenjirou.”

When he pulls back, hands resting on Kenjirou’s shoulders, Eita has tears in his eyes too. He kisses Kenjirou’s forehead. “I’m so happy.”

Kenjirou closes his eyes, letting a tear slip down his cheek. “Me too.”

When they reach their cars, Kenjirou opens his door and says, “I’ll see you when we get home.”

“Yeah, be careful.”

Eita pulls Kenjirou in for a quick kiss before going to get into his own car. He waits until Kenjirou pulls out to leave.

The drive home feels extra long. Kenjirou can barely keep his eyes open, but luckily he’s able to make it to the driveway. He parks in the garage, making it home just before Eita.

Kenjirou’s glad that Reon had gone to get takeout for everyone. The last thing he wants to do is make dinner. Eita probably would have offered, but it doesn’t change the fact that it’s after eleven.

“Want to get a bath together?” Eita asks as they both head toward the stairs.

“That sounds nice.”

They head up to their bedroom, each grabbing their night clothes. Kenjirou steals one of Eita’s band shirts from him; it’s a little big, but still comfy nonetheless.

Eita runs the bath as Kenjirou starts stripping down. Eita follows suit as the water fills up the bathtub. Eita gets in first so that Kenjirou can sit between his legs. Kenjirou settles against him, leaning into his chest.

“I’ll call in the morning to see if I can make an appointment for Monday,” Kenjirou says.

Eita goes to wraps his arms around Kenjirou’s chest, but he hisses in pain. Eita’s eyes widen in surprise.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, it’s kind of tender.”

Eita pauses before hesitantly asking, “Tender?”

Kenjirou can feel his face heat up, and not just because of the warm water. “It could be sore because,” he trails off.

Eita smirks. He loops his arms around Kenjirou’s waist instead, pulling him closer. Kenjirou rests his hands against Eita’s where they rest on his still flat belly and a small smile graces his lips when he feels their wedding bands scrape together. Eita brings his lips to Kenjirou’s ear, breath warm against his skin, “Sore because why?”

“You know why, asshole.”

Eita laughs and it’s a beautiful sound, even if it’s at Kenjirou’s expense. He loves Eita’s laugh like nothing else.

“Are you sore anywhere else?” Eita asks, voice lacking his previous teasing, “You’ve been working a lot. You’re probably tense somewhere, right?”

Eita brings his hands to Kenjirou’s shoulders, kneading into them. His fingers are calloused and rough against Kenjirou’s skin, but the pressure feels amazing. He lets out a small moan, which causes Eita to smile wider. Kenjirou sinks down into the tub and Eita rests his chin against Kenjirou’s head. Eita starts humming one of the songs he’s written for Kenjirou—probably Kenjirou’s favorite, though he loves them all—and he feels like he could fall asleep right there.

Kenjirou does drift off and Eita lets him. He places a kiss against Kenjirou’s head before going back to holding him around the waist.

Eita’s excited. He’s happy to be having a baby with Kenjirou. They’ve been together for almost ten years, mates for over five and a half, and married for almost two. Eita wants to spend the rest of his life with Kenjirou. He’s excited to experience the next step in their relationship. He loves Kenjirou more than anything.

He drums his fingers against Kenjirou’s belly. His abs are long gone; Eita’s aren’t as prominent anymore, either. He only has what little he does for promotional work.

He doesn’t mind that Kenjirou isn’t as fit as he used to though. He thinks Kenjirou is beautiful no matter how he looks. He imagines what Kenjirou will look like, swollen with _his_ baby. He imagines him with a round tummy, all for the sake of their little one.

Kenjirou stirs in his embrace and makes a noise of disgust. He shifts to face him, an annoyed expression on his face. “Are you hard?”

Eita feels his face burn. “Sorry.”

“I’m too tired tonight.”

“Yeah, don’t worry about it. It,” Eita pauses, “It’ll…go away on its own.”

“I think I’m ready to get out.”

Eita nods. He takes a handful of water, and pours it on Kenjirou’s head, eliciting an indignant squawk.

“Hey! Watch it!”

Eita laughs, “Sorry.”

“No you’re not,” Kenjirou sighs and grabs for the shampoo.

“Yeah, I’m not.”

Kenjirou squirts some shampoo into his hand, reaching up to sift it through his hair. Eita takes over and Kenjirou doesn’t argue, leaning into the touch.

“What were you thinking about anyway?”

Eita smirks. “Just how gorgeous you’re going to look carrying our baby.”

Kenjirou raises an eyebrow. “I didn’t know you had a breeding kink.”

“Only for you.”

“That’s lame. Can’t you come up with anything better?” Kenjirou suddenly purrs, “Ooh, right there.”

“Like this?”

Eita massages his fingers into Kenjirou’s scalp, causing Kenjirou to really purr, “Yeah, just like that.”

Eita finishes washing Kenjirou’s hair, moving onto scrubbing him down with a wash cloth. Eita’s careful around Kenjirou’s chest. Kenjirou feels like he’s in heaven.

They swap positions so Kenjirou is seated behind Eita so that Kenjirou can take care of Eita. Kenjirou dumps water on Eita’s head in the same manner he was treated, but he doesn’t get the same reaction. Kenjirou huffs, causing Eita to chuckle.

“I knew it was coming, babe.”

Kenjirou runs his fingers through Eita’s hair, spreading shampoo across his scalp. Eita presses into Kenjirou’s fingers, humming.

“I love when you play with my hair.”

Kenjirou finishes up, moving onto Eita’s body. He pulls Eita close to him as he runs the cloth against his chest, resting his chin on Eita’s shoulder. He breathes in Eita’s scent glands.

“I love you.”

Eita grasps Kenjirou’s hands in his own, bringing them up to his lips. “I love you too.”

They stay like that for a few minutes before Kenjirou finishes up washing where he can reach. He leans into Eita’s back, letting his clasped hands dangle in front of Eita’s chest. He watches as Eita washes the lower portion of his body.

“Maybe we should do something for Satori and Wakatoshi,” Eita suggests, setting the cloth to the side. He leans back into Kenjirou who straightens his back into the shower wall. “You can sleep in, of course—you should—but I mean, afterward.”

“Like what?”

“Maybe make them dinner or something. I doubt they’re up for it themselves.”

Kenjirou thinks it over for a minute. “We could make hayashi rice. Wakatoshi would like that.”

“How hard do you think it is to make ice cream?”

“Ice cream?” Kenjirou laughs, “Do you think we could make something as good as Satori?”

Eita shrugs. “Maybe not, but I bet he’d appreciate it.”

“We could probably walk Nina. They’re probably not up for that, either.”

“Yeah, we can see what we can do for them. I’m sure everyone else will be fussing over them too.”

Kenjirou’s eyes start to droop again and Eita leans his head back onto Kenjirou’s shoulder.

“Ready to get out?” Eita asks.

“Mm-hmm.”

Eita steps out of the tub, leaning down to help Kenjirou out. He doesn’t need it, but he likes the gesture. They towel dry each other before getting dressed. Eita grabs the hairdryer and a brush before following Kenjirou to the bedroom. Kenjirou crawls into Eita’s lap where Eita blow dries his hair. They switch when it’s time to dry Eita’s hair.

Kenjirou curls up under the covers while Eita returns the hairdryer to the bathroom. Eita climbs into bed behind him, squeezing Kenjirou tight against him. Kenjirou is asleep almost immediately.

* * *

**Friday, December 9, 2022**

Kenjirou’s used to getting up around four in the morning on work mornings, so it’s always a welcomed change to sleep in on his days off. He hadn’t gotten to sleep until after one so he doesn’t wake until ten.

He finds himself curled in Eita’s arms and it couldn’t be a better way to start the morning. He has his head on Eita’s chest as Eita absentmindedly plays with his hair, smiling lazily at him.

“Morning, sunshine,” Eita jokes when he realizes that Kenjirou is awake.

“Don’t call me that.”

Eita laughs, “Sleep well?”

“Great. What about you?”

“Perfect.”

Kenjirou hums, nuzzling closer against Eita. They lay there for a while, saying absolutely nothing. It’s a comfortable silence.

Eventually, they do get up though. They decide to eat breakfast before dedicating their day to Satori and Wakatoshi. After all, Satori probably hasn’t even been discharged from the hospital yet.

After they eat, they check the kitchen to see what ingredients they’ll need before heading to the store. They grab a cart and wander around, picking up the various ingredients they’ll need for both the hayashi for dinner and for chocolate ice cream afterwards. They’ve found recipes online for both and hope for the best.

They spend a good chunk of the day working on making food. It’s around four thirty that they finish up and head over to the Ushijima residence. Eita and Kenjirou let themselves in; they have keys, after all.

Nina greets them at the door. She’s Wakatoshi and Satori’s Australian shepherd named after the Fullmetal Alchemist character, Nina Tucker. Satori thought it was the funniest thing to name her after the character.

There’s a few pack mates there, including Tsutomu, Kanji, Hayato, and Reon. Kenjirou goes to put the food away while Eita goes to check with Wakatoshi, Tsutomu, Kanji, and Hayato in the living room.

“Satori hasn’t left his room all day,” Reon says when Kenjirou enters the kitchen.

Kenjirou frowns. “When was the last time someone checked on him?”

“I just got here, but Tsutomu said about an hour ago.”

Reon is in the middle of heating up hayashi for the group. It seems he has brought some to cheer up their pack leaders as well. He’s not the only one. The rest of the pack had the same idea.

“Where’s Mako?” Kenjirou asks as he goes about putting away what he and Eita brought.

“I left her with her grandma,” Reon answers in the middle of playing food, “I didn’t think either of them would be up to see her. I told her Uncle Satori is sick and that only made it worse. She wanted to make him feel better.”

“Your daughter’s a good girl.”

Reon smiles fondly. “Thanks.”

In the living room, the others have managed to get Wakatoshi to watch a recording of an old volleyball game. It’s from a couple of years ago. It’s obvious he’s not really into it today.

Kenjirou returns and settles down on the couch next to Eita. “Go check on Satori.”

“What? Where is he?” Eita pries his attention away from the television.

“He hasn’t left his bedroom all day. No one’s checked on him for the last hour. You’re closer to him than I am, so go check on him.”

Eita does just that. He heads upstairs to the master bedroom, knocking lightly on the door. There’s no response so he lets himself in. The room is dark. The curtains are pulled shut and in the middle of a nest is Satori.

“Satori?”

Satori doesn’t budge. Eita steps forward, perching on the side of the bed. He rubs at Satori’s thigh. “Hey, almost everyone’s downstairs. Why don’t you come down?”

“I don’t want to.”

“Okay, well I’m not leaving.”

“Do whatever you want.”

Eita shoots Kenjirou a text message, letting him know and asking him to accompany him. Kenjirou makes his way up just as Eita’s getting comfortable cuddling around Satori. Kenjirou joins him, snuggling up to Satori’s other side and scenting him.

The rest of the pack eventually shows up and periodically come to check, but only Tsutomu joins the cuddle pile, not wanting to overwhelm Satori too much.

Wakatoshi seems to be doing a little better, but Satori still seems worse for wear. Eita and Kenjirou are almost afraid to leave them, but Tsutomu insists he and Kanji will spend the night, so they’re reluctantly able to leave. They promise to come visit on Monday when Kenjirou has the day off.


	4. Chapter 4

**Monday, December 12, 2022**

“I hate filling these out,” Kenjirou groans as he scribbles away at the medical forms. He rests a clipboard uncomfortably against his thighs, trying to write as neatly as possible.

It’s close to ten in the morning. He and Eita sit in the obstetrician’s mostly empty waiting room. He had specifically made an early appointment so they could check with Satori after they were done.

Wakatoshi has returned to business as normal. There’s only so much practice he can miss. He still needs time to mourn, but it’s likely he would lose his place on the Schweiden Adlers starting lineup if he didn’t return. He was already allowed to sit out Saturday’s game, despite being a star player. It’s an unfair situation.

Satori, on the other hand, has entrusted one of his head bakers to take care of the bakery while he recovers. Kenjirou supposes it’s one of the perks of running your own business. He knows that Satori prefers to run things himself though.

“It’s a good thing they’re used to reading doctor’s writing,” Eita jokes as he scrolls away on his phone.

“That’s a stereotype.”

“It’s a real one; your handwriting is awful.”

“Would _you_ like to fill these out?”

“I’ll pass.”

Kenjirou sighs as he slips the pen back into the clip. He returns the board to the receptionist and settles back down into his seat.

“You know it’s going to be a long appointment, right?” He turns to Eita. “I wouldn’t have been mad if you wanted to stay home.”

Eita shakes his head, slipping his phone into his coat pocket. “I want to be here.” He takes Kenjirou’s hand into his own, rubbing his thumb against his knuckles. “I want to be at all of your appointments. We’ll get to see the baby, right?”

Kenjirou nods. “Yeah, probably. We should be able to hear the heartbeat too.”

Eita smiles. “Then I definitely want to be here.”

“Semi Kenjirou?”

They stand up and follow the nurse back. She’s an omega. She wears a happy expression and seems friendly enough.

“Is this your alpha?” She asks.

“Proudly,” Eita answers.

She motions to the two chairs next to the scale. “You can take a seat,” She pauses, “Semi-san?”

Eita smiles as he nods in confirmation, doing as she asks.

She goes about checking Kenjirou’s height and weight, which hasn’t changed much past his second year of high school. He’s pretty bitter about his height. She directs him to take a seat next to Eita so she can take his blood pressure and pulse. He tosses his coat to Eita.

“Gee, thanks,” Eita quips.

“You’re welcome,” Kenjirou answers without missing a beat.

“Well, everything looks good,” She declares, “Let’s get you in a room so the doctor can see you.”

They follow her to a room where she tells them to take a seat, promising that the doctor will be in shortly. She takes her leave.

Kenjirou avoids the examination table and sits next to Eita. Eita takes hold of Kenjirou’s hand, leaning over to place a kiss against his temple. Kenjirou settles his head against Eita’s shoulder, trying to ignore the plastic armrest digging into his ribs.

It takes a few minutes but the doctor comes in a timely manner. He’s a short, older omega with graying hair and a pair of soft brown eyes settled behind glasses. He’s cheery and brings a warm atmosphere.

“Semi-san?”

Kenjirou sits up, but doesn’t let go of Eita’s hand. “Yes.”

“I’m Doctor Watanabe.” He offers his hand out to shake and Kenjirou takes it. “Nice to meet you. This must be your mate.”

Eita lets go of Kenjirou’s hand to shake with the doctor. “Semi Eita.”

“Nice to meet you as well, Semi-san.”

Watanabe settles into the swivel chair, taking a clipboard off of the counter. Eita takes hold of Kenjirou’s hand again, rubbing his thumb against his knuckles.

“So you think you’re pregnant?”

Kenjirou nods.

“And you took a home pregnancy test?”

“Yes.”

“When did your last heat end?”

“The last day was October 24th.”

Watanabe scribbles down in his notes. “That should place you at about nine weeks. How long do your heats typically last?”

“Five days or so with two or three days of pre-heat.”

Watanabe hums as he takes more notes. He continues with a battery of questions. Eventually, Watanabe seems satisfied and declares, “We’re going to go ahead and confirm the pregnancy with blood and urine tests though it should be positive if you took an at-home test; they’re fairly accurate.”

Eita looks away as Watanabe takes Kenjirou’s blood, causing Kenjirou to laugh softly. The pregnancy is confirmed through both the blood and urine tests. Watanabe gives them his congratulations before he continues to perform a number of other tests. Eita realizes that Kenjirou definitely wasn’t lying when he said this appointment would be a long one.

Finally, Watanabe sends Kenjirou to get an ultrasound and Eita perks up in excitement. Kenjirou changes into a hospital gown and they head to the room where the scan will be done. Eita lays their coats down on a chair on the far side of the room before settling into the one next to the examination table. Kenjirou is already sat up on it.

The ultrasound technician comes in and introduces himself as Sano. He’s a beta man of medium build with neat black hair.

“Ready to see your baby?” Sano grins at the couple.

They’re both smiling as they nod. “Of course.”

“If you just want to lay back,” Sano instructs and Kenjirou does as asked, “Go ahead and spread your legs.”

Eita takes Kenjirou’s hand yet again, placing kisses against his knuckles, leaving an extra long one against his wedding and engagement bands. Kenjirou rests his other hand on his still flat belly.

“You’re going to feel a little pressure,” Sano warns as he readies the internal ultrasound wand.

“Nothing you haven’t felt before,” Eita chuckles.

“Eita!” Kenjirou scolds, causing Eita to laugh harder.

“I hear it everyday,” Sano assures. He focuses on the screen. “Everything looks good. Watanabe-sensei was right; you’re definitely nine weeks pregnant. I’m going to estimate a due date of July seventeenth next year.” He turns to them with a smile. “Ready to see your baby, Mom and Dad?”

_Mom and Dad._

Kenjirou feels his breath hitch and Eita squeezes his hand. They exchange glances. Eita offers Kenjirou a reassuring smile. Sano turns the screen toward them and their eyes are glued to the monitor.

It doesn’t look like much. The picture is sort of grainy, but there’s certainly a little gray blob in the middle of a black circle.

“Right here’s the head,” Sano describes, motioning to the little blob on the screen, “And the legs. The arms are right here. If you look closely, you can see their heartbeat.”

Kenjirou feels his eyes sting and when he looks over to Eita, his eyes are glossy too.

“They’re moving a little.” Sano points to the screen, motioning to the tiny movement the baby makes, “You’re lucky to catch that.”

Kenjirou spares a look to Eita and they smile widely at each other.

“Can I record it?” Eita asks a little hesitantly.

“Of course,” Sano answers, grinning.

Eita digs in his back pocket for his phone to capture the moment they got to see their baby move for the first time. They both watch in awe as the little blob shifts on the screen.

Sano observes them fondly. “Would you like to hear the heartbeat?”

“Absolutely,” Eita answers before Kenjirou gets a chance.

As soon as the little _thump thump thump_ is heard, it’s all over for Kenjirou. He feels the tears slip down his cheeks. Eita’s absolutely beaming as he wipes them away, tears falling down his own cheeks. He kisses Kenjirou’s temple.

“That’s our baby,” Kenjirou mutters.

Eita nods, laughing a little, “That’s our baby.”

Sano gives them a few minutes before wrapping things up. He prints off pictures, which both of them continue to stare at in awe as they leave.

It’s almost noon by the time they’re back in the car. Kenjirou still hasn’t put down the sonogram. Eita smiles at him as he spares a glance away from the road.

“Too bad we’re keeping this a secret for now,” Eita says, “We could have done a cute Christmas announcement.”

Kenjirou hums, still not looking away.

“Is everything okay, babe?” Eita asks.

“I’m just worried if I’ll even make it to twelve weeks.”

“Why would you say that?” Eita glances over to him again with a worried expression.

“Satori’s never made it past the first trimester.”

“That doesn’t mean anything. They said the baby looked healthy.”

“They probably said that about Wakatoshi and Satori’s babies too. You know suppressant usage makes it hard. I was harder on suppressants than Satori was. It’s a miracle I got pregnant without us really trying. Not to mention, all the caffeine I drink. It’s not good for the baby.”

“Why didn’t you bring that up with the doctor?”

“There’s nothing they can do at this point.”

Eita kisses Kenjirou’s knuckles. “It’s going to be okay. I really believe that.”

“Thanks,” Kenjirou replies sincerely. He pauses before finally saying, “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

They pick up the prenatal vitamin prescription Watanabe wrote for Kenjirou and some groceries before heading to the Ushijima household. Kenjirou sends Satori a text message to let him know they’re on their way, but doesn’t receive a response.

Satori doesn’t answer the door, and honestly, they hadn’t expected it of him. Luckily, they have keys, like every member of the pack.

Nina happily jumps on their legs when they walk through the door, recognizing the familiar faces. She seems antsy though, as if she wants them to follow her. Kenjirou gives her a few head pats as Eita sets the grocery bags onto the kitchen counter. They work together to put things away, Nina dancing away underneath their feet. When they’re finally done, she leads the way to the master bedroom.

The door is shut. Nina scratches at the wood, letting out little whines. Eita and Kenjirou look to each other, frowning. Eita knocks on the door, calling out softly, “Satori, we’re here. Is it okay to come in?”

“Yeah,” Satori replies weakly, barely audible.

They enter and Nina rushes over to the bed, jumping into the middle of the nest Satori’s created. Her tail wags happily as she burrows under the covers to give him kisses. He reaches an arm out to give her a rub.

Both Kenjirou and Eita crawl into the nest on either side of Satori, scenting him. Eita runs his hands through Satori’s hair, pulling his head to his chest. Kenjirou curls around him, resting his head on Eita’s shoulder, arms wrapped around Satori. Satori leans into their touch. Nina lays at the foot of the bed.

“Have you eaten today?” Eita asks.

“No,” Satori answers weakly.

“I know you don’t have a big appetite, but you should really eat something.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“When was the last time you drank something?” Kenjirou questions, “You don’t have to eat, but at least stay hydrated.”

“It was before Toshi left.”

Eita and Kenjirou exchange worried glances.

“I’ll be right back.” Eita kisses the top of Satori’s head and slips out from under the blanket, making sure that Satori is situated comfortably in Kenjirou’s arms. He heads downstairs, leaving the two omegas alone.

Kenjirou shifts so that his back is against the headboard. He holds Satori against his chest, wincing a little at the touch.

Kenjirou runs his hand through Satori’s hair. It feels like he hasn’t washed it in a few days. Wakatoshi is probably too heartbroken himself to make Satori shower. Kenjirou isn’t afraid to force him into the tub and scrub him down, and he knows Eita isn’t either. Of course, they’re not going to be hostile about it, but they want to make sure he’s taken care of.

Eita returns with a bottle of water and a bowl of chocolate ice cream. He crawls back into the nest, offering the water bottle to Satori.

“I thought you could try to eat some ice cream,” Eita suggests, “Junk food is better than nothing.”

“Thanks, Semisemi.” Satori sits up and twists the cap off the bottle, taking a sip. He places the cap back on, settling the bottle between his crossed legs. Eita offers the bowl to him. He takes slow bites, but both Eita and Kenjirou are glad to see him eat something.

“Are you up for a bath?” Kenjirou asks, “You seem like you could use one.”

Satori shrugs.

Eita wraps an arm around Satori’s shoulders, rubbing his hand up and down his arm. “We’ll help you.”

“Thanks,” Satori mumbles, staring down into his ice cream, “Sorry I’m being so much trouble.”

“Trouble? You might be a pain in the ass sometimes, but it’s definitely not right now.”

“We _want_ to take care of you,” Kenjirou adds in a rare moment of sincerity, “We’re a pack.”

Satori smiles a little. They’re glad to see it.

When Satori’s done eating and he’s drank the water bottle, Kenjirou and Eita help him into the tub. Kenjirou helps him scrub down while Eita takes Nina for a walk. When Eita returns, Kenjirou is settled behind Satori in the nest, drying his hair with the blow dryer. Nina greets her master as if she hasn’t seen him in a long time and another small smile graces Satori’s lips as he kisses the dog on the head. Kenjirou sits the blow dryer down and runs a brush through Satori’s hair.

Eita watches fondly from the doorway. “Are you ready to eat something, yet?”

“Not really,” Satori responds.

Eita nods. “I’m going to make something for myself and Kenjirou though. That okay with you?”

Neither of them have eaten since breakfast and Eita wants to make sure Kenjirou gets another meal in before dinner, especially after he threw up said breakfast.

“Of course, you guys should eat.”

Kenjirou hits Satori softly on the arm. “Speak for yourself.”

Satori leans back into Kenjirou, making him drop the brush to catch him in his arms. He looks up at him as he rests his head on Kenjirou’s shoulder. “I’m head omega. I have to look out for you.”

“We’re trying to look out for _you_.”

Eita laughs at the sight. Satori’s definitely still going to be mourning, but he seems to be doing a little better. Having pack members around is probably helping.

“I’m going to make lunch. Behave,” Eita warns.

Kenjirou puts away the hairdryer and hairbrush. He curls up with Satori as they turn on the bedroom television. Kenjirou flips through Netflix, finding one of the horror movies in Satori’s watch list. The description seems absolutely terrible, but it’s the one Satori insists on watching.

It _is_ terrible. It does not get better by the time Eita returns with lunch.

Eita cocks an eyebrow as he stares at the television screen, tray of food in his hands. “What are you watching?”

“Probably the worst movie I’ve ever seen,” Kenjirou gripes.

“It’s not that bad,” Satori counters, “The lead actress is pretty cute.”

“That doesn’t make a movie good.”

Eita chuckles as he places the tray on the bed. He carefully takes his place back in the nest, sandwiching Satori between himself and Kenjirou. Satori ends up stealing a few bites as they eat, which both are more than happy to share. Nina watches them with sad eyes, hoping to get her own share.

Kenjirou takes care of the dishes, but returns as soon as he’s done. He’s glad he’s excused himself because he finds himself coughing up a portion of his lunch.

They spend the afternoon watching bad horror movies. Kenjirou offers his critique and Eita bounces off that, but Kenjirou ultimately drifts off to sleep at some point, head in Satori’s lap, and Satori ends up playing with his hair.

Tsutomu comes over after practice—showered this time—and joins the cuddle pile. Kenjirou only wakes to allow him to take his place by Satori’s side before curling back up in Satori’s lap.

“You’re a lucky alpha, Eita,” Satori teases, “You have three omegas to give your attention to.”

Normally Eita would be annoyed with him, but he’s glad to see Satori joking around, so he brushes off the comment.

“More like three of them to be a pain in my ass.”

Satori nuzzles his cheek until Eita’s shoulder. “How can you say that about other Semisemi and Tsutomu?”

Kenjirou wakes up enough just to groan, “Stop with the weird names,” before curling tighter against Satori’s leg, promptly falling back to sleep. Satori laughs—Eita’s happy to hear it—and gives Kenjirou a head scratch.

Wakatoshi returns home not long after Tsutomu arrives. He brings takeout for everyone, having already been informed by Eita they were there. Satori rouses Kenjirou awake and he groans, but still moves. The five of them eat dinner at the kotatsu in the living room. Eating in the nest was nice for three of them, but the bed isn’t big enough for five of them to spread out.

Kenjirou and Eita stay a couple more hours before bidding everyone farewell. Kenjirou has work in the morning so he wants to get a good night’s rest.

“Sleep good?” Eita asks after they’ve returned to the car. They’ve just gotten onto the road.

Kenjirou rests his head against the window, hand cushioning his temple from the glass. His free hand is draped across his middle and Eita wonders if it’s intentional or if Kenjirou’s even aware.

“I’m still tired,” Kenjirou answers with a yawn.

Eita takes a hand off the wheel, caressing Kenjirou’s arm. “We’ll be home soon and you can go back to sleep.”

Kenjirou’s been laying off the caffeine. Because of his concerns, he hasn’t consumed any coffee or energy drinks since he took the home pregnancy test on Thursday. He had spent Saturday with a killer headache at work and he may have been a little more short than usual, but other than that, the main drawback he’s had is fatigue, which he assumes could also be his pregnancy.

When they get home, they take a quick shower together and curl up in bed. Kenjirou rests his head on Eita’s chest, curled into his side. Eita’s fingers are tangled into Kenjirou’s hair as he leans down to press a kiss against his head.

“I know we’re waiting to tell the pack,” Eita starts, “But should we wait to tell our families?”

Kenjirou tenses, grasping onto Eita’s shirt. He bites at his bottom lip.

“Babe,” Eita hurries to say, “I’m sorry. I—“

“I know,” Kenjirou murmurs, “I’m not upset. I do want to tell my brothers, but my parents,” His voice trails off.

“We don’t have to tell them.”

Kenjirou nods before burrowing his face into Eita’s shirt.

Eita continues, trying to distract Kenjirou, “I know Mom’s going to be excited. Actually, I don’t know who will be happier, her or Kana. Kana’s been joking about making her an aunt for a while.”

Kenjirou smiles a little. Eita’s parents and his sister all love Kenjirou, and he loves them. When he met them in the middle of his third year of high school, they immediately adored him. They offered a warm, loving environment, one that Kenjirou wasn’t used to in a family. He had the pack, and that definitely felt like a family—because they are—but the one he was born into? It felt nothing like the one that the pack or Eita’s family offered him.

Eita’s mother is an alpha, but both his father and sister are omegas. They accepted him for who he was. Omega discrimination is dying out, but can still be seen in sports sometimes, just like he had seen in high school. His own parents could never see past it though.

Both of Kenjirou’s parents are alphas, as well as his two younger brothers. It’s rare, but omegas can sometimes be born to alpha only bloodlines. His father had been livid when it had been obvious at Kenjirou’s birth that he is, in fact, an omega. His mother wasn’t happy either, but her reaction wasn’t as extreme. His father wanted alpha children; it had been one reason he sought out an alpha mate. He eventually got his wish in the form of Kenjirou’s younger brothers—both born within three years of Kenjirou—but it didn’t change his view of Kenjirou.

Even if Kenjirou hadn’t been forced into concealing his heat through suppressants by Shiratorizawa, he knows his parents would have forced him into using them. He also suffered affects of touch-starvation until high school. His parents didn’t want to deal with anything to do with omegas, didn’t know _how_ to deal with them, so they opted not to and pretended that they didn’t have an omega child.

He still worked hard. He wanted to prove himself as an omega. When he saw Shiratorizawa play, a school that was seemingly made up of alphas, he wanted to be part of that. So he worked hard, worked hard to earn his way to an elite school, to earn his place on the team.

When he got accepted to Shiratorizawa, his parents were more than happy to pay the high tuition if it meant they could send their omega son away. They would no longer have to think about him; they could pretend they only had the two alpha sons they wanted. It hurt, but Kenjirou could escape them.

His parents wanted nothing to do with him when he graduated. At eighteen, he still wasn’t a legal adult at the time. Eita’s parents had signed for a lease on an apartment since Eita was technically still a minor; so after officially courting for only a year, Kenjirou moved in with Eita. It wasn’t the greatest of accommodations, but it felt like home.

Kenjirou was more than happy to ditch his family name for Eita’s when they married almost two years ago. In a way, it meant he could break the last big connection he had with his parents.

Kenjirou has had minimal contact with his parents over the years. They used to share messages over holidays, but that’s about the extent. Even those messages are rare and he hasn’t shared any in two years. They didn’t even show interest when Kenjirou shared news of mating or his engagement, not that he wanted them at the wedding or anything. He only told them out of a strange sense of obligation.

He still keeps in touch with his brothers though. He loves them and they adore him. They have rocky relationships with their parents, as well, unhappy with the treatment Kenjirou received growing up, but it can be hard cutting off ties with parents, so Kenjirou doesn’t blame them for not being completely free of them.

“I think my brothers will be excited too,” Kenjirou finally says.

“I think so too.”

“Koichi joked with Kana at the wedding about giving them a niece or nephew,” Kenjirou recalls. He remembers Takao also seeming to like the idea of being an uncle. “Takao told me during Koichi’s birthday dinner that he’s courting a male omega.”

“An omega?” Eita’s hand wanders down to Kenjirou’s back, rubbing up and down. “Did he—no, I’m sorry.”

“Tell my parents? Yeah, I think this is it. I think he’s ready to cut ties. I don’t know about Koichi. He’s the baby after all, but I think Takao is ready.”

Each of the brothers were born a little over a year and three months apart: Kenjirou in May of 1995, Takao in August of 1996, and Koichi in December of 1997. Koichi is only a month younger than Kana, both having recently celebrated their twenty-fifth birthdays.

Koichi is by far no baby, but Takao has had some more time to think about it. Kenjirou thinks that Koichi will eventually reach the same outcome.

“He said,” Kenjirou hesitates before he continues, unsure of his wording, “Mom and Dad are disappointed. They lashed out and stopped talking to him for a few days. They want him to break off the courtship. He wants us to meet him though.”

Eita hums. “That sounds nice. We should support him.”

“Thank you, Eita.”

“He’s my family, too. You can’t be surprised I think that way after ten years.”

“No, but it’s nice to hear.”

Eita places another kiss against Kenjirou’s head. “I’ll support you no matter what.”

“Yeah, me too.” Kenjirou leans up, stealing a kiss on the lips. “Anyway, I’m tired. We can talk more about telling them tomorrow.”

“Yeah, of course. Love you, babe.”

“Love you too. Night.”

“Night.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Wednesday, December 14, 2022**

Kenjirou wakes up in the middle of the night, uneasy. Alarms go off in his head when he finds Eita’s side of the bed empty. It’s still warm, so he can’t be too far. He feels slight distress through their pair bond, letting him know that something isn’t quite right.

He suddenly hears coughing.

Kenjirou slides out of bed and slips on his slippers before rushing to the bathroom. He finds Eita hunched over the toilet, forehead resting on the seat.

“Eita? Are you okay?”

“Just great.”

Kenjirou makes his way toward Eita, kneeling down beside him. He places a hand on Eita’s back and checks his forehead with the back of his other hand. “You don’t feel like you have a temp.”

Eita doesn’t say anything. His stomach lurches again and he finds his head buried in the bowl. Kenjirou rubs his back, murmuring, “It’s okay. Let it out.”

“I don’t know what brought that on,” Eita mumbles, resting his cheek against the seat, “I don’t think I ate anything bad.”

“Yeah, your cooking’s usually decent.”

“Asshole. I won’t make you anything anymore.”

“I don’t think it was the takeout, either. _I’m_ not sick.”

“And _you’re_ pregnant.”

“Pregnant,” Kenjirou mumbles, thinking for a moment.

“You didn’t forget, did you?” Eita asks, sitting up.

Kenjirou shakes his head. “It’s not about me.”

“Are suggesting I’m pregnant? You’re a doctor, Ken, you should know alphas can’t—“

“Would you shut up for a second? I think it’s a sympathetic pregnancy symptom.”

Eita’s eyes widen. He stares at Kenjirou, blinking slowly. “Is that what it sounds like?”

“Yeah, it’s usually caused by a worry over your partner. It’s debated if it’s real or not, but if you’re actually having symptoms,” Kenjirou pauses, running his fingers through Eita’s hair, “That’s pretty sweet. I knew you cared about me, but I think it’s kind of cute.”

Eita leans forward to rest his forehead against Kenjirou’s. “Well, of course, I love you.”

“You should really brush your teeth.”

“I could taste puke on your mouth the day you took the pregnancy test. It was disgusting.”

“Brush your teeth,” Kenjirou repeats. He stands and starts to retreat. He turns back to Eita, standing in the door way. “Love you too, by the way.”

Eita brushes his teeth as instructed and pads off to bed after Kenjirou. He crawls under the covers, spooning against Kenjirou’s back. He makes sure to breathe against the side of Kenjirou’s neck.

“I brushed my teeth.”

“I smell that. You’re gonna make _me_ sick. It’s strong.”

Eita hums, kissing the back of Kenjirou’s neck. He has one arm underneath his pillows, but his other hand wanders, creeping underneath Kenjirou’s night shirt. His fingers brush against Kenjirou’s belly, causing him to shiver. He finally rests his palm against the still flat surface. Kenjirou places his own over Eita’s.

“You know there’s nothing to feel yet, right?” Kenjirou asks.

“Hmm, I know, but they’re still there.”

Kenjirou takes hold of Eita’s hand, leading it downward. “They’re around here actually. They’re still tiny, so they’re not that far up yet.”

“How big do you think they are?”

“Not that big,” Kenjirou hums, “I read the other day that they’re the size of a cherry.”

“They’re so little. It’s hard to believe they’ll get so big. They say it’s like pushing out a watermelon, right?”

“God, I don’t want to think about that.”

Eita laughs before kissing the back of Kenjirou’s neck again. “People do it every day. How bad can it be?”

“Would _you_ like to volunteer?”

“I would if I could, babe.”

“Yeah, right,” Kenjirou scoffs.

“You know I care about you. I’m having a sympathetic pregnancy.”

“You wouldn’t be able to handle the pain though. You probably won’t be able to stand holding my hand.”

“I’ll hold your hand the whole time you’re in labor.”

“That better be a promise.”

“It is.”

Kenjirou doesn’t reply. He’s already drifted off to sleep. Eita gives him one last kiss to the cheek before settling back and falling asleep himself.

* * *

**Saturday, December 17, 2022**

“So you did you take a test?” Taichi asks as they meet up outside of the mall.

“Yep,” Kenjirou answers.

“And?”

“It was positive.”

“I knew it.”

“Doctor confirmed I’ll be ten weeks Monday.”

They head toward the back to a music shop that Eita frequents. Kenjirou has been to it many times with him and he always loves the way Eita’s eyes sparkle whenever he enters. He’s always so excited to be surrounded with instruments.

“You’re keeping it, right?” Taichi shoves his hands into his winter coat pockets.

“Yeah, Eita and I decided years ago we were going to have children. It was just never the right time. But now,” Kenjirou pauses, “We weren’t trying, but we weren’t not trying.”

“So when are you going to tell everyone?”

“After the first trimester,” Kenjirou answers, “Satori and Wakatoshi need to mourn still.”

“There’s something you’re not telling me.” Taichi turns to Kenjirou.

Kenjirou bites his lip. “I’m afraid I’m going to miscarry. You know how hard I was on suppressants.”

“Hmm.”

Kenjirou turns to Taichi. “That’s all you have to say?”

Taichi shrugs. “I’m sure things will be fine. You’re already further along than two of Satori’s pregnancies.”

“I hope so.”

“How did Eita take it?”

“He’s excited.” Kenjirou wears a fond smile. “He has morning sickness though.”

“What?”

“He’s having sympathetic pregnancy symptoms.”

“Oh I can’t wait to tease him about it.”

They finally reach the store.

“Do you even know what you’re looking for?” Taichi asks.

He and Kenjirou stand around in the shop. There’s plenty of equipment, lots of fancy amplifiers and gorgeous guitars in a multitude of colors. There’s other instruments too—Kenjirou wouldn’t be able to distinguish between the tubas and saxophones set up though—along with displays with accessories such as guitar picks and strings. Guitars take up the majority of the room, however.

“Only kind of,” Kenjirou admits, arms crossed over his chest. The padding of his coat helps ease the sting from the pressure on his chest.

He’s tried his best to pay attention to everything Eita has rattled off about music. Eita definitely didn’t excel in school the way Kenjirou did, but he’s always been an absolute genius when it’s come to music. Kenjirou never would have imagined that the boy he played volleyball with would be so talented in another field like music. He still remembers the way his heart soared, the way he felt his spine tingle, and the way he felt absolutely weightless the first time Eita excitedly brought out his guitar to play the first song he had written just for Kenjirou.

It had been just after Eita graduated and they finally confessed to each other. Kenjirou remembers that first song fondly. He always knew Eita could sing and play guitar, but he had never heard him past karaoke on team bonding nights or when he would practice chords in their shared dorm room Kenjirou’s first year. He never let on just how good he was to Kenjirou.

Eita knows how to play multiple instruments, as well as just having naturally perfect pitch. It’s always amazed Kenjirou. He’s watched closely to the way Eita’s fingers glide against the fretboards of various guitars and ukuleles, the way they dance across cheap keyboards to even the grandest of pianos, the way he rhythmically beats against any drum set. Kenjirou has watched him recreate music simply by hearing it. Eita’s able to create his own incredible music too, between the lyrics to the instrumentals. He’s able to do it all. Kenjirou is in absolute awe at his talent.

Kenjirou would gladly listen to Eita talk all day just to see his excitement, the way his eyes light up in enthusiasm as he rattles on about the subject he’s most passionate about. Kenjirou doesn’t always understand; he’s picked up some things, but it’s hard when he’s not actually playing the instruments. Of course, he’s sat down with Eita as Eita guided his fingers on the fretboard of one of his guitars or directed his hands across a keyboard, but it’s not particularly Kenjirou’s interest. He tries his best to be interested though and to learn as much as he can because he loves Eita with all of his heart.

Kenjirou’s supportive of Eita’s career and he’s always wanted to support him in a way like this. He’s finally able to this Christmas, being that he’s finally done with school and his residency.

“I want to get him something nice,” Kenjirou continues, “But it also has to be special. He has a bunch of guitars and ukuleles already.”

“How do you know he’ll even want a new one?”

“If you saw him every time he gets to add a new piece, you would know.”

“Do you even know the difference between a guitar and a ukulele?” Taichi cocks an eyebrow.

“Of course I do. One has four strings and the other has six. Plus, there’s the size…Usually, I guess. He does have a big ukulele.”

“Is there anything I can help you with?” An employee asks them. He’s a cheery old alpha. He’s on the shorter side, at least six centimeters shorter than Kenjirou, with graying and balding gray hair. He’s hunched over a little, causing him to appear shorter than he really is. He has his hands clasped behind his back.

“Yeah, I’m looking for a guitar,” Kenjirou replies.

The employee chuckles, “Well there’s plenty to choose from. Is this a Christmas gift?”

“It’s for his alpha,” Taichi supplies, “He doesn’t know what he’s looking for.”

Kenjirou glares at Taichi before pursing his lips. “I know some.”

“That’s okay,” The employee insists, “We can still find something for them. Do you have a budget in mind?”

Kenjirou shakes his head. “I want to get him something special. It doesn’t really matter.”

“He’s a doctor. He can afford it.”

The employee raises his eyebrows. “Ah, that’s amazing! Anyway,” He continues as he leads them around the store, “Does he already have any?”

“Quite a few.”

Kenjirou is starting to wonder if maybe Taichi is right. Maybe he should consider another gift. How special can the one he picks out be? He doesn’t even know what he’s looking for. Eita is always so excited to add another piece to his collection though.

Kenjirou has managed to sneak photos of every guitar in Eita’s studio, just to make sure he got something as unique as possible. He shares the photos with the employee so he can hopefully point Kenjirou in the right direction.

“Are you a fan of Enigma too?”

Kenjirou finds a beta man peering at him expectantly. He has choppy, dyed silver hair and stands a little taller than Kenjirou. He’s wearing an olive parka very similar to one of Eita’s favorites, one he has in many of his social media pictures. He has an Enigma band T-shirt on underneath it. It seems he’s a fan of Eita’s band, especially by the way he’s chosen to copy Eita’s style from his hair to his clothes.

The man gasps when Kenjirou turns around.

“Do you know him?” Taichi asks. Taichi may not be Kenjirou’s alpha, but he’s still letting off pheromones warning the other man to back off.

“No, I don’t.” Kenjirou shakes his head.

“It’s you Ken-chan!” The beta exclaims happily, “I can’t believe I didn’t recognize you from behind. I’m Semi Eita’s biggest fan.”

Kenjirou isn’t used to Eita’s fans approaching him the way they approach Eita. He’s had a couple of unpleasant encounters and in his gut, this feels like one of them. Eita has some super fans. He’s the lead singer and guitarist for a big name band and it comes with the title. Most of Eita’s fans are sweet, and they treat Kenjirou nicely too; however, some are jealous and it’s the unfortunate truth of being mated and married to a rock star.

“I’m pretty sure Kenjirou is Eita’s biggest fan,” Taichi deadpans.

“Can I do something for you?” There’s more annoyance in Kenjirou’s voice than there needs to be, but he has a bad vibe about this guy.

“I just saw photos of Semisemi’s studio on your phone and I thought I found a fellow fan. Do you think you could give me any secrets about him?”

“Fuck off.” Kenjirou turns around to continue his business.

Yeah, there’s no reason for him to have been spying on Kenjirou’s phone. Plus, Eita doesn’t have many photos of his home studio posted on social media, at least from the perspective Kenjirou has on his phone; the most similar Kenjirou can recall is from maybe a year ago. And to ask about Eita’s personal life is over the line.

“Is that really how you treat his fans?” The beta grabs at Kenjirou’s shoulder.

“Listen,” Taichi growls as he steps in between the man and Kenjirou. “He doesn’t want to be bothered right now.”

“If you’re bothering this young omega, I’m going to have to ask you to leave,” The employee asks.

The beta doesn’t seem impressed, but he stalks off. Kenjirou feels shaken up still. In fact, he’s quivering from nerves.

“Hey, you okay?” Taichi asks in a rare moment of genuine concern. He wraps an arm around Kenjirou, resting both hands on his shoulders.

“Yeah.” Kenjirou nods.

“Do you want to leave?”

“No, I’m fine.”

Taichi nods. He scents Kenjirou for good measure in an attempt to calm him down. Kenjirou’s watch goes off and he sees he’s received a message from Eita.

**Eita 2:12pm**

_Hey is everything ok?_

He must have been shaken up enough for Eita to feel it through their pair bond. He pulls out his phone to reply.

**Kenjirou 2:15pm**

_Yeah, I’m fine._

**Eita 2:15pm**

_What happened? Do you need me to come get you?_

**Kenjirou 2:16pm**

_No I’m out with Taichi and one of your fans approached me I’m fine I promise_

**Kenjirou 2:16pm**

_I’ll tell you everything later_

**Eita 2:16pm**

_You’re okay though?_

**Kenjirou 2:17pm**

_Yeah I promise_

**Eita 2:17pm**

_Ok…but let me know if you need anything. I’m still worried but I trust you if you say you’re okay. Be careful babe_

**Eita 2:17pm**

_I love you_ _♥️_ _♥️_ _♥️_

**Kenjirou 2:18pm**

_I will. I love you too_ ♥️

The employee apologizes profusely, but both Kenjirou and Taichi insist it’s not his fault.

“I have some special edition guitars you might be interested in,” The employee offers, “They’re a little on the pricier side, but they may be something you might be interested in.”

Kenjirou’s still a little shaky, but nods. Taichi watches him closely the whole time.

After a lot of deliberation and Kenjirou researching on his phone right in front of the employee, he finds a guitar that he thinks will be a perfect addition to Eita’s collection. He can’t wait to present it to Eita on Christmas Eve, but the hardest part will be finding out where to hide it.


	6. Chapter 6

**Monday, December 19, 2022**

Kenjirou has officially known about his pregnancy for a week. Today marks the ten week mark. He’s still experiencing bouts of nausea. Most of the remedies he’s found on morning sickness—such as getting plenty of rest and eating more frequent, smaller meals throughout the day—don’t work well with his busy work schedule. The most he’s really been able to do is sip on ginger ale throughout the day.

Unfortunately, between his morning sickness, his lack of usual coffee and energy drinks, and the fact that he had asked for a pregnancy test earlier this month, gossip has picked up through the emergency department.

Sometimes Eita likes to meet him for lunch, so when noon rolls around, it’s not a surprise that one of receptionists has tracked Kenjirou down, winking. “Your hubby’s here, Semi-sensei. He’s looking as fine as always.”

Kenjirou rolls his eyes. Most of his coworkers find Eita hot. He finds it kind of annoying—Eita is _his_ mate—but he also can’t blame them. Not only is Eita appealing to the eyes, they all know he has the most wonderful voice. There’s just something attractive about rock stars. At the end of the day though, they only know him at the surface, not the way Kenjirou gets to know him.

“Tell him I’ll be out in a minute. I’m gonna take my break.”

Kenjirou clocks out, slips on his coat, and makes his way to the entrance of the emergency department. Eita waits for him with a smile. Kenjirou smiles back at him. Eita holds his arm out to wrap around Kenjirou’s shoulders and Kenjirou settles into his embrace. Eita places a kiss against his forehead.

“Want to grab something to eat?”

“That’s fine.”

Kenjirou’s not in the mood to eat, but he knows he can’t go without eating. It’s only going to make his nausea worse. Plus, he gets to spend the next hour with Eita and he’s felt super clingy to him recently—a result of his pregnancy—but he’s not about to let Eita know that. Eita definitely knows, but he doesn’t let Kenjirou know.

They walk to a nearby sit-down restaurant and order udon.

“What did you do this morning?” Kenjirou asks, staring down at their clasped hands on the table as they wait for their food. Eita rubs his thumbs back and forth.

“Write mostly. Aiko came over and we worked on a couple pieces, didn’t finish anything though. How’s work been today?”

“Okay, I guess. It hasn’t been too hectic, but I still feel sick, so it hasn’t been pleasant.”

“Still?”

“I’m pregnant, Eita. You’re still having sympathy morning sickness too.”

“Yeah, but when does the morning sickness stop?”

“Probably a couple more weeks at least.”

Eita frowns. “I’m sorry, babe.”

“It happens.” Kenjirou shrugs. “I’ll survive.”

“Still sucks though.”

The server apologizes for interrupting them as he brings their food. Eita thanks him. They make idle conversation while eating, but they finish up with time to spare, so they wander around before Kenjirou has to head back.

A young omega woman, probably in her early twenties, comes running towards them on the sidewalk. She’s got bleached blonde hair and an overall punk aesthetic. It’s obvious she’s a fan of Eita’s.

“Semisemi!”

Fans have picked up the nickname from Satori’s posts and comments. Satori has a following for his appearances on food networks, as well as his relationship with Wakatoshi and his pack mates. He’s also just an overall charismatic guy, which definitely lends to his popularity on social media, so it’s no surprise that Eita’s fans have followed him as well, picking up on the nickname from high school.

Kenjirou knows Eita has fans and he’s happy for him. Eita has worked hard to get where he is as a musician and he deserves the recognition. Sometimes though, Kenjirou would just like to spend some time with him in public alone, without worrying about being bothered. Saturday’s encounter definitely doesn’t help.

Eita feels the same. He adores his fans, appreciating every one of them. He just appreciates every moment he has with Kenjirou more.

Eita’s grip on Kenjirou’s hand tightens as he waves with his other one. He offers a smile to the woman, causing her face to light up.

Kenjirou rests his head on Eita’s shoulder, nestling into him. He lightly scent marks Eita, causing him to chuckle as he reaches over to rub Kenjirou’s arm.

“I can’t believe I ran into you on the street of all places! I’m a huge fan!” She opens her coat a little, revealing her T-shirt which sports the logo of Eita’s band’s newest album. “I was at your show last week! I was so disappointed when backstage passes sold out. I can’t believe I just ran into you! Ah, I just said that. Can I get your autograph?”

“Of course. Thank you! Do you have something you want me to sign?”

“Oh!” She pats down her coat pockets, trying to find anything. She frowns when she realizes she can’t find anything. “I’m sorry! I never expected I’d ever see you.”

Kenjirou reaches into the chest pocket of his lab coat, pulling out a small notebook and a pen. “It’s lined, but it’s better than nothing,” He offers.

She beams at him. “You’re so sweet, Ken-chan!”

He gives a small smile.

“So who should I make this out to?”

She gives her name and Eita poses for a selfie with her. She waves enthusiastically as Eita and Kenjirou head back to the hospital.

“I’m sorry. I know it can get annoying sometimes,” Eita apologizes.

“Don’t be,” Kenjirou insists, “You worked hard to be where you are. You deserve the attention.”

Eita bumps into Kenjirou playfully, laughing a little. “Thanks babe, I love when you praise me. Have anything else you want to tell me?”

“What are you? Tsutomu? Anyway, I wouldn’t want it to get to your head.”

Eita leans over and places a sloppy, wet kiss against Kenjirou’s temple. Kenjirou groans, wiping at the slobber left behind.

They share an actual kiss before parting ways at the hospital entrance.

“See you when I get home,” Kenjirou says.

“Yeah, love you.”

“Love you too.”

Kenjirou goes on about his day, treating patients as usual. It’s fairly tame as far as an emergency department goes, nothing he can’t handle, at least. He’s still feeling sick though and having eaten lunch didn’t help.

By the time three o’clock rolls around, he’s surprised when the same receptionist from earlier is tracking him down.

“Semi-sensei, your hubby’s back.”

Kenjirou raises an eyebrow at the beta. “Why?”

He shrugs. “Just said he came to drop something off for you.” He walks away.

Kenjirou sighs. He double-checks that his patients don’t immediately need anything before heading up front. Eita’s sat on a bench, a brown paper bag around his wrist as he fiddles around on his phone.

“Eita?”

Eita stands up, pocketing his phone, and smiles at Kenjirou. “Hey.”

“Why are you here? I just saw you two hours ago.”

“Glad to see you too, babe.” He hands Kenjirou the bag, watching him expectantly.

Kenjirou frowns. He opens it and gives it a scrutinizing once over. He glances back up to Eita. “What is all this?”

Eita rubs at the back of his neck. “I felt bad you feel so sick, so I Googled some morning sickness remedies and,” he pauses, “I picked you up some things.”

“This is a lot.”

It _is_ a lot. There’s more ginger ale—which Kenjirou already has plenty—multiple packs of various brands of lozenges, a couple different acupressure bands, saltines, mints, and strangely enough, a bottle of lemon extract. It seems like Eita has just picked up everything he could have possibly read about.

“I didn’t know what would work,” Eita admits.

“Lemon extract, though?” Kenjirou asks, pulling the bottle out.

“It’s so you can, uh, sniff it? The fresh smell is supposed to help. Like I said, I just looked it up on Google. I just want you to feel better.”

Kenjirou softens. He smiles before placing a kiss on Eita’s cheek. “Thanks, I’ll try it.”

“Semi-sensei, room three needs you,” Kondo peaks out from the doorway.

“I have to go,” Kenjirou says, “I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s fine. I have that shoot I should’ve already been on my way to.”

“Eita!”

Eita laughs, “You’re more important.”

“They’re gonna call you a diva.”

“It’s fine.” Eita takes Kenjirou’s hand into his own, kissing his knuckles. “Love you.”

“Love you too. Be careful.”

“Yeah, better hurry to your patient.”

“I’m going.” Kenjirou waves him off, heading back. “Better hurry to your shoot.”

When Kenjirou finally gets a moment, he tries what he can. It’s impractical to run back and forth, trying different things, but something must work because he actually feels better. He’s glad he has such a sweet mate.


	7. Chapter 7

**Tuesday, December 20, 2022**

Underneath his long, olive green parka, Eita’s wearing an ugly red and green Christmas sweater depicting a gingerbread man missing an arm and leg. It shows red icing where the limbs have broken off. It’s festive, but still a little punk.

Kenjirou made sure to remind him how ugly it is when he sent he posted a selfie on social media this morning. Satori was quick to agree, telling him to get better fashion sense.

**semikenjirou**

_Eita I love you but that sweater is the ugliest fucking thing. You should change_

**miracleboysatori**

_U still have bad fashion taste semisemi!! I agree with Ken u should change_

At least his fans think he’s cool.

“Do you know what Satori wants for Christmas?” Eita asks as he walks into the mall with Wakatoshi and Tsutomu. Wakatoshi had asked the two of them to accompany him to go Christmas shopping for Satori, being that they’re the closest to him, besides Wakatoshi himself.

The three of them garner a bit of attention. It can be hard to go out as a pack sometimes being that only four out of the eleven adults haven’t had media attention in their careers. Wakatoshi seems to intimidate anyone that wants to approach them, however.

Wakatoshi looks a little grim. “I don’t. I usually buy him little gifts all the time, so choosing a big one for a special holiday is difficult.”

“I’m sure we’ll find something,” Eita assures.

“Yeah!” Tsutomu chimes in, “We’ll find him the perfect gift!”

They wander around for a bit until they pass by a store with Christmas ornaments. Eita gets an idea, not for Wakatoshi, but for a surprise for Kenjirou.

“I’m gonna stop in here really quick,” he says.

“We’ll come with you,” Tsutomu insists.

Eita’s not sure he wants that, but he doesn’t argue. He finds the picture ornaments and guesses on the size. He doesn’t dare pull out his wallet to check what size he needs, in case Wakatoshi or Tsutomu would catch a glimpse of the sonogram he’s been keeping there.

“What are you going to put in it?” Tsutomu asks, peering over Eita’s shoulder.

“A Christmas picture of me and Ken,” Eita lies.

* * *

After shopping with Wakatoshi and Tsutomu, Eita had met at one of his bandmate’s homes to practice. When he returns home, he finds Kenjirou curled up on the side of the couch under a blanket, nursing a mug of hot chocolate in his hands. He looks bored as he watches a crappy Christmas movie. He likes to critique them.

Eita puts his guitar away in his studio before making his way to the living room, carrying the bag from earlier. Kenjirou greets him, but doesn’t pry his attention away from the television.

Eita sets the bag on the kotatsu and settles onto the couch next to Kenjirou, pulling some of the blanket onto his own legs. Kenjirou huffs as he takes back enough to cover himself. Eita laughs. He leans over to place a kiss against Kenjirou’s temple, reaching for his mug. Kenjirou moves it just out of Eita’s grasp.

“Let me have a sip,” Eita says.

“Go get your own. I can only have one and you don’t know how to take a sip.” Kenjirou takes a drink.

Kenjirou had finally caved and called Watanabe about his concerns over his caffeine intake. He already knew there was a limit, but the obstetrician had assured him that the pregnancy seems fine so far and that he could relax. He also said it was best to avoid it as much as he can and not to go over two hundred milligrams if possible, and definitely not over three hundred.

Kenjirou has started craving sweets though—not that he’s ready to admit that to Eita—and ended up caving. He’s not proud and he wants to avoid the unhealthy options if possible.

Eita cups Kenjirou’s chin in his hand, guiding his face toward his own. He presses their lips together, taking a taste straight from Kenjirou’s mouth.

“Hmm, it’s good.” Eita smiles.

Kenjirou rolls his eyes, taking another sip from his mug. He eyes the bag on the table. “What’s that?”

“Oh!” Eita reaches for the paper bag and pulls out the tissue paper, revealing a small red and white box. He lifts the top, revealing more tissue paper. Underneath that is a silver frame, metal woven like lace. There’s a sparkly white organza ribbon thread through the top. In the center, there’s a space for a picture, the numbers “2022” on a little plate in front. He shows Kenjirou, smiling. “I thought we could put the baby’s ultrasound picture in it.”

Kenjirou blinks. He reaches over to set the mug down on the kotatsu so he can take the ornament into his own hands. He studies it, turning it around.

Eita rubs at the back of his neck before he continues, “I had to guess for the size so Wakatoshi and Tsutomu didn’t find out, but I’ve seen people do it after the baby’s born and I thought since we just found out, it would be nice to remember. They’re like our Christmas present.”

A small smile graces Kenjirou’s lips and his eyes meet Eita’s. “I guess they are.” His gaze wanders over to the empty corner of the room. “We still don’t have the tree up though.”

“We can put it up now.”

Kenjirou hums, sitting the ornament down next to the mug and reaching for it instead. He takes another sip. It’s around eight thirty; he doesn’t have work in the morning though. He’s been extra tired lately and he’s still tired now, but Eita looks so excited. Eita loves Christmas and he hates the idea of telling him no. Kenjirou can make it.

“Yeah, let’s do it.”

Kenjirou sits the mug in the sink while Eita puts on some Christmas music. They fetch the tree and a couple of totes containing lights and ornaments from the spare bedroom. They’re going to have to find another place to put everything for next year; the baby will need a nursery and either the spare room or the guest room will have to go.

Kenjirou busies himself with checking the lights as Eita pulls the Christmas tree parts out of its cardboard box. There’s a couple of strands that have to go, but there’s one unopened pack stashed away in the light box. Eita has the tree pieces spread out across the room.

“Can you manage it yourself?” Kenjirou glances up from where he’s sat on the floor, untangling the lights.

“It’s not that hard.”

They had ordered the tree online after they moved into their home August of 2020. It was the first Christmas they could really go all out celebrating. Kenjirou was finally out of school, well into the first year of his residency, and Eita’s music career had taken off enough that he no longer had to work his government job. They had just gotten engaged in March of that year on their seventh courting anniversary, just before Kenjirou graduated med school. They were no longer in the crappy apartment they had spent over half a decade in; they had a place they could truly call their own. It was a special Christmas and they had chosen the biggest, fluffiest tree that could fit in their new living room.

The tree already has lights built in, but they had gone a little overboard getting extra ones. Eita wanted it to be flashy and it was worth it to Kenjirou to put in the extra work decorating just to see Eita’s smile. They had some ornaments from the little tree they had set up every year since moving into their first apartment, but they had chosen some new ones online, all with special meanings. There are ones like the little Stratocaster—which plays a Christmas song—and music notes to represent Eita’s passion for music; a stethoscope and a little lab coat with Kenjirou’s then soon-to-be new family name with 2020 to represent his own career; there’s also a number of picture ornaments with photos they’ve collected over the years. They had to get a lot to fill out their new tree, considering it’s almost two and half meters tall. It makes their old one meter tree seem puny in comparison.

Eita sets up the stand before hoisting up the bottom piece.

“I can’t believe how heavy these pieces are.”

“Don’t be a baby,” Kenjirou teases, “They’re like twelve and a half kilos.”

“They’re not actually heavy,” Eita says, “It just seems like a lot for a tree.”

“Imagine how much a real one weighs.”

Eita shrugs as he kneels down to secure it. “I guess.”

Kenjirou has the lights untangled, running all across the living room floor by the time Eita has all three pieces secured. They fluff out the branches, before threading the lights through. It’s bright and colorful.

Kenjirou smiles as Eita begins to sing along to the next song playing. “ _I really can’t stay. Baby, it’s cold outside. I gotta go away.”_

It’s in English and neither practice the language as much as they could. They learned in school, of course, but Kenjirou only ever puts it to use when an English speaking patient finds themself in his emergency room and Eita only ever uses it to interact with his English speaking fans.

“It’s lame when you sing both parts.” Kenjirou’s grin betrays the snark in his voice.

“Sing with me,” Eita counters, lacing his fingers with Kenjirou’s, swinging the two of them around the living room, careful to avoid the boxes set out.

Kenjirou does just that. He doesn’t think he sounds anywhere near as good as Eita, but Eita thinks Kenjirou sounds amazing and his heart soars.

“We need to put the ornaments on,” Kenjirou says when the song finishes, “I love dancing with you, but I’m kind of tired.”

“Yeah, of course.”

They go about pulling out the ornaments, carefully placing them on the branches in thought out locations. They both find themselves smiling anytime they pick up a picture ornament.

“Remember this?” Eita asks, holding out the frame for Kenjirou to see, “This is our first real date.”

“The quality is awful.”

Eita laughs, but Kenjirou’s not wrong. It was a selfie taken on Eita’s old iPhone 5. It was passed through phone to phone before being printed off and cropped to fit the ornament.

“It’s still cute. You were adorable.”

“What am I now if I _was_ adorable?”

Eita reaches over, tipping Kenjirou’s chin upward. Kenjirou fiddles with the ornament in his hands. “The most handsome omega I’ve ever met.”

Kenjirou rolls his eyes. “ _Okay_.”

Kenjirou steps away, turning to the tree and separating the branches to slip the ornament on one. He makes sure this one is toward the front. It’s one of their wedding photos and they both look in absolute bliss. Both are happily laughing. The pack surrounds them, Taichi is on Kenjirou’s left and Satori is on Eita’s right—their respective best men. Satori is flashing peace signs. Wakatoshi is next to him with the worst smile imaginable—he’s never been good at smiling on demand. Tsutomu’s blinking, a goofy grin on his face. When the photographer suggested taking it again, Eita and Kenjirou insisted they keep it. The photographer questioned them, but they insisted. Everyone else looks like they’re having fun too. It’s one of Kenjirou’s favorites.

“Oh, I love that one,” Eita says, peering over Kenjirou’s shoulder.

“Me too.” Kenjirou tips his head back, resting it against Eita’s shoulder.

Eita pulls out an ornament with a clipping from a magazine. It’s from the last show of his first tour. The band had originally had tour dates in 2020, but they had been pushed back to 2021, which ended up coinciding right after his and Kenjirou’s wedding. They had time to go on a honeymoon, which Kenjirou was able to secure enough time off, but he couldn’t leave long enough to accompany Eita for the whole tour. It was upsetting to spend the first few months apart after just getting married. It was an awful feeling on their pair bond, but Kenjirou supported Eita, insisting that he go. He watched streams of every single show, calling before and after every one, no matter if he had an early shift the next morning.

The pack had separately made trips to different shows, but Kenjirou’s hectic work schedule made it hard. However, on the night of the band’s last show of the tour, Kenjirou wouldn’t video call like usually did, only offered to do a phone call. Eita was disappointed, but he took what he could get. When Eita got on stage with the rest of the band after the opening act and started to introduce themselves—not that they needed it, they were the headliners—he glanced off to the wing of the stage to find Kenjirou watching him with a smile. Eita’s face had lit up as he passed his guitar off to one of his bandmates and dashed off toward his mate. He lifted him up, spinning Kenjirou around. He dragged him out onto the stage, which Kenjirou was hesitant about, but Eita pushed on, introducing him as his mate and husband.

The photo is from an article written about his last show on that tour. The photo is of him happily twirling Kenjirou around again on stage, elated smiles on both of their faces as they were reunited.

Kenjirou wraps his arms around one of Eita’s, bringing him back to the present. He leans into him. He hums when he rests his head against Eita’s shoulder. “That was my favorite show of yours. You had so much energy.”

“I finally got to see you after _months_. We’d never been separated that long before.”

“You went sixteen years not knowing me.”

“But I’d seen you everyday for almost ten years.”

“We made it. I’m not sure I want to do it again though. I’ll have to see what I can do to get off work. It should be easier now that I’m done with my residency.”

Kenjirou knows he doesn’t even need to work if he doesn’t want to, but he’s worked hard. He spent a long time in school and he loves what he does, even if it’s stressful. It’s just tough sometimes when it comes to Eita’s own career.

“What about the baby? They’re gonna have to go to school eventually.”

Kenjirou tenses, gripping a little tighter around Eita. “We’ll figure it out.”

“We always do.”

They continue decorating the tree until it’s full of ornaments, many representing their passions and their favorite memories. They leave a space, front and center, for the new ornament. They pull out a spare sonogram photo, cutting one off to place it into the frame. Eita has a good eye because it fits just right.

“It’s perfect, Eita.” Kenjirou smiles when Eita places it.

“Yeah, I think so, too.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Saturday, December 24, 2022**

Kenjirou has to work both the twenty-third and Christmas Eve, so by the time he comes home around seven-thirty in the evening, he’s tired. Eita seems to be waiting for him since he immediately emerges from his studio with a smile.

“Go shower,” Eita says.

“Nice to see you, too,” Kenjirou deadpans as he starts toward the stairs, “But I was planning on it.”

Eita closes the distance between them to place a kiss on Kenjirou’s cheek as he takes his first step onto the stairs. “I love you. Now go shower.”

“I’m going.”

Kenjirou expects to fall into bed once he’s finished drying his hair, but Eita seems to have other plans. He’s laid out a light gray cabled-knit sweater, a purple button down, and a pair of black slacks for him.

Eita has already changed, emerging from the walk-in closet, and Kenjirou’s heart skips a beat. It’s rare for Eita to dress in anything but alternative clothing, so seeing him in something a little more dressy has Kenjirou’s face heated. It’s nothing over the top, surprisingly, but Kenjirou still finds him breathtaking. He dons a plain dark purple button down with the top couple of buttons undone and the sleeves rolled up, revealing his forearm tattoos. His shirt is tucked into a pair of black slacks with a black belt. His earrings are simple: two tiny silver hoops around either lobes, barely visible; matching silver orbital and helix hoops; and a plain silver bar for his industrial on his left ear. Even his snake bites are a matching silver. He also wears a long silver chain with a silver rectangular pendant—Kenjirou got it for him their first wedding anniversary; it has the dates of their courting, mating, and wedding anniversaries engraved on it. He also has a pair of black dress boots ready to put on downstairs.

“What’s this?” Kenjirou asks as coolly as possible. He tries to still his heart from beating so fast and heavy in his chest. God does Eita look gorgeous. Even after all these years, Eita can still get him worked up.

“Get dressed.” Eita smirks, offering absolutely no answer. “You’ll see soon enough.”

Kenjirou frowns. He’s already changed into his pajamas, having not expected any of this. It _is_ Christmas Eve, but he honestly thought they would just spend it in, maybe curl up in bed. They could order takeout—which yeah, it might take a while, but they wouldn’t have to cook—and watch some cheesy Christmas movie where the protagonist’s dad is Santa for whatever reason. And at the end of the night, he could present Eita with the new guitar he got him.

It’s not that Kenjirou doesn’t want to spend the evening out; he loves spending time with Eita, but between work and the pregnancy, he’s just so tired this year.

Eita steps forward, wrapping his arms around Kenjirou’s shoulders. Kenjirou instinctively wraps his arms around Eita’s waist. They rest their foreheads together.

“We don’t have to if you don’t want to. I just thought this would be the last year we could before the baby.”

“Eita.”

“I can cancel the reservation, but if not we have to get going.”

“No, we can go.”

“Are you sure?”

Kenjirou nods. “Yeah.” He offers a small smile. “After all, we’ll have an infant next year. We should enjoy this while we can.”

Eita smiles wide before leaning in for a kiss. “We’ll have a good time, I promise.” He cups Kenjirou’s cheeks in his hands. “And we can sleep in tomorrow. I’ll make breakfast and we can cuddle all morning until we head over to Wakatoshi and Satori’s place.”

“You don’t have to do that. Sleeping in and cuddling is enough.”

“I want to.”

Kenjirou hums and in a rare moment of sincerity, murmurs, “You’re so good to me, Eita. Thank you.”

“It’s because I love you. You’re good to me too.”

“It’s because I love you too. I love you a lot.”

They share one more kiss before Eita pulls back. “Get dressed. We need to get going.”

Kenjirou quickly gets dressed. He runs a brush through his hair again for good measure, just to make sure it looks alright. He grabs a pair of black derby-style shoes to match.

They grab their coats downstairs—Kenjirou’s dark gray wool duffel and Eita’s black canvas parka—before heading out the door. Eita takes the wheel. He still hasn’t disclosed where they’re going. Kenjirou isn’t one for surprises, but he knows that Eita isn’t going to give up the secret.

The place is nice. They’ve been here before. It’s an American-style restaurant and Eita has reserved a private room. It makes it easier, after all. Even during holidays, they can be approached by Eita’s fans, excited to get his attention, so this way it’s guaranteed that they can eat in peace.

Kenjirou obviously turns down wine, but so does Eita. Kenjirou cocks an eyebrow when the server leaves to get their drink order.

“I can drive home. I don’t mind,” Kenjirou offers.

Eita shakes his head and places his arms on the table. He wiggles his fingers, prompting Kenjirou to take hold of his hands. “We’re in this together. I’ll only eat or drink what you can.”

“That’s stupid.”

“I think most people would find it sweet.”

“It is sweet, but it’s still stupid.”

Eita shrugs. “Anyway, I’m glad you chose to come out. I thought we could wander around afterward. The lights are pretty and we haven’t had the chance to see them this year.”

Kenjirou hums. “That sounds nice.”

“I promise I won’t keep us out too long. I know you’re tired.”

“I can sleep later. Let’s enjoy tonight.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Eita smiles.

Dinner goes well. The food is excellent and afterward, they wander around, just like Eita planned. Unfortunately, they’re stopped a few times by Eita’s fans. He’s as nice as always though, and none of them are particularly unpleasant tonight.

When they return home, they bathe together and curl up on the couch to watch one of those cheesy movies, tearing it apart the whole time.

“How many daughters does Santa have anyways?” Eita asks.

“There has to be like fifty of these things,” Kenjirou deadpans.

“Why do we keep watching them again?”

“To make fun of them.”

When the movie is over, Eita’s excited. “Hey, I never gave you your present.”

“I should go get yours.”

They retrieve each other’s gifts. Kenjirou had managed to hide Eita’s new guitar in a huge cardboard box underneath the bed. They both return to the living room, boxes set in front of each other.

“This box is huge,” Eita remarks.

“It’s not that big.”

Eita insists Kenjirou goes first and to stop from an endless loop of “no you,” Kenjirou takes the bait.

“This is like a forty-five thousand yen stethoscope,” Kenjirou says in awe as he turns the unwrapped box around, checking out the digital features.

“I know. I thought it might be easier on you at work,” Eita laughs a little, “I tried doing research but I ended up asking an online forum.”

Kenjirou’s expression softens. He sets the box aside and takes Eita’s hands into his own. “That’s okay. I appreciate it. My current one is pretty standard.”

“So you like it?”

“Love it,” Kenjirou smiles before urging, “Open yours now.”

He’s been waiting so long to give Eita a new piece for his collection so he’s excited to see his reaction.

“Eager aren’t you?”

“I’ve been planning this for a long time.”

Eita unwraps the paper to find a plain cardboard box. Inside is a hard guitar case. His eyes sparkle in excitement, knowing it’s going to be a new guitar. He doubts Kenjirou would be cruel enough to play a joke like this on him this far into their relationship.

“You didn’t,” he mutters. He’s got a wide smile on his face.

Kenjirou’s smiling. “I did.”

Eita looks up. “I feel like my gift is kind of lame now.”

“No, I love it! I was due for a new stethoscope,” Kenjirou insists, “Now hurry up and open it.”

Eita nods, reaching for the latches. He flips each one up, he’s slow to open the top, just to tease Kenjirou. He’s beaming though by the time he looks inside.

“How did you get your hands on this?” Eita asks. He delicately pulls the guitar out of its case. “This was limited edition.” He soaks in every little detail from the neck to the body, plucking at the strings.

“I think the guy felt sorry for me after that fan was creepy, but he showed me some really nice ones. I took pictures of your collection to make sure you didn’t have whatever I got you.”

Eita settles the guitar securely back into the case before taking Kenjirou into his embrace. “I’m sorry you had to go through that, but I really appreciate the gift.”

“It’s fine,” Kenjirou promises, wrapping his arms around Eita, “You like it though, right?”

Eita pulls back with the widest smile. “I love it. It’s probably my favorite gift you’ve given me. Well,” Eita pauses as his eyes trail down to Kenjirou’s belly. He places his hands gingerly against the still flat surface. “Other than our little one.”

“That’s lame, Eita.”

Eita laughs, “I’m really happy, Ken.”

Kenjirou softens, nodding. He takes Eita’s hands back into his own. “Yeah, me too.”

“Oh! I have a new song I want to play for you too! I’ll go get an amp so it sounds better.”

Eita rushes off to his studio to retrieve an amplifier. He hooks it up when he returns. He does some tuning to the new guitar, not that it needs much, before playing a new song meant just for Kenjirou.

* * *

**Sunday, December 25, 2022**

It’s not exactly traditional for Christmas, but a lot of packs still exchange gifts. Still, getting gifts for everyone gets harder and harder every year because everyone mostly just has the money to treat themselves and get what they want as they need it. Eita and Kenjirou certainly have that problem, though they still managed to get each other gifts they loved.

They get to the Ushijima house a little early; they’re the first to arrive actually. Satori is left alone at this point being that Wakatoshi has left to pick up dinner and it’s anyone’s guess when he will return with how long lines are.

Satori grins when Eita and Kenjirou knock at the door, arms full of gifts. Eita’s doing most of the carrying; he fussed over Kenjirou doing heavy lifting even though Kenjirou argued he can still carry at least thirteen kilograms and the gifts aren’t even close, but Eita wouldn’t budge.

“What’d’ya get me?” Satori asks.

“Christmas isn’t about gifts,” Eita says as he steps inside.

“It’s all a scheme anyway,” Kenjirou adds, following him.

They set everything down on the floor while they remove their shoes.

“Didn’t you just buy Eita that fancy guitar?” Satori begins to carry everything into the living room to put under the tree.

“That’s different,” Kenjirou deadpans.

“Is it?” Eita teases. He reaches over and pinches Kenjirou’s cheek. Kenjirou swats at his hand. “I think you think it’s special.”

“You wish.” Kenjirou stands up, slipping on his house slippers and picking up the rest of the gifts Satori couldn’t grab. Eita starts to argue, but he shoots him a glare, mouthing, _“Do you want Satori to find out?”_

Satori has the kitchen a mess. He’s made cookies, multiple Christmas cakes, Yule log cakes, and wagashi. Honestly, Kenjirou and Eita aren’t sure he really needs their help other than cleaning up. Kenjirou sneaks a cookie and Eita watches him in amusement, but soon follows suit, grabbing one for himself.

They help him set things out so that the kitchen can be cleaned up and in the middle of that, the others start to file in. Tsutomu and Kanji show up next. They help with what’s left, which isn’t much. Reon arrives with Mako just as they’re finishing up.

“Uncle Satori!”

Reon can barely get Mako’s coat off before she’s making a beeline for her Uncle Satori. The beta girl has her long, dark curls pulled into two high pigtails and they bounce as she runs. She’s dressed in a red dress with short sleeves, a thick ribbon around the middle that ends in a big bow in the back, and a fluffy ruffle skirt. She also has a pair of white tights on, along with a big red bow headband in her hair, and a pair of red mary-janes; Reon couldn’t stop her fast enough to have her remove her shoes.

“There’s my Ma-chan!” Satori beams as he catches her. He twirls her around, eliciting giggles.

“She looks more and more like you every time I see her,” Eita muses as he watches Satori and Mako.

“Thanks,” Reon laughs, “I worry she’s too cute sometimes. I wish she would have taken after her mother some though.”

“I’m sure she would be proud. She’s a good girl.”

Kenji and Takanobu come next, bringing Emiko, Shiori, and Mirai. Kenji looks exhausted at thirty-three weeks pregnant. Takanobu doesn’t stray far from him unless necessary. Emiko and Shiori are excited to see Mako, even though Emiko has just seen her in kindergarten yesterday. Mirai doesn’t have much interest in leaving Kenji’s arms.

The Aone girls are dolled up, too. Emiko—officially five—has her shoulder-length hair pulled into two little braids on either side of her head, meeting in the back underneath a big red bow. She’s wearing a red velvet suspender dress with a long-sleeved white top and white leggings.

Shiori has her brown hair done into two long French braids on either side of her shoulders with big red bows at the ends. She’s wearing a long-sleeved white dress with a tulle skirt, red ribbon around the waist, and green tights.

Kenji manages to get both of the girls to take their shoes and coats off before they go barreling through the house to greet everyone.

“I can’t believe you’re doing that again,” Kenjirou deadpans as the girls whiz past his legs.

“You’re telling me,” Kenji sighs. He smirks mischievously. “So when are you and Eita having your own?”

“Don’t get any ideas in your head. It’s going to be a long time.”

Satori greets them at the door as Kenji struggles to take off his shoes and hold onto Mirai. Takanobu has reluctantly left to set the gifts under the tree, having his own hands full.

“I want to see the baby!” Satori declares, making grabby hands toward two-year-old Mirai.

“Sato,” Mirai mumbles as she reaches her arms out for Satori.

“Gladly.” Kenji passes Mirai off to him.

Mirai doesn’t have anything special done with her shoulder-length hair, but underneath her coat, she’s donned in a dress with a short-sleeved green plaid top and a big green tulle skirt with a gold ribbon around the middle, ending in a big bow. She has white tights on and black mary-janes. She’s holding onto a gold-colored headband that she more than likely tore out of her hair.

Kenjirou helps Satori take off her coat as Kenji removes his own coat and shoes.

Taichi and Hayato arrive not too much later. Wakatoshi still isn’t back by the then and Hayato complains, “I’m hungry. Where’s the food?”

“It’s here,” Wakatoshi says as he walks through the door immediately after them. His arms are full. There are fifteen people in their pack after all. Satori is quick to come to the door and help him, still holding Mirai in one arm. Satori gives Wakatoshi a quick peck on the cheek.

Dinner goes well, but it’s afterward that things get complicated. Sparkling sake is passed around the table to the adults while chanmery is passed around to the kids and Kenji. Takanobu also passes on the sake.

“I told you I can drive, Nobu,” Kenji complains.

Takanobu shakes his head.

Hayato tries to pass a glass to Kenjirou but he turns it down. “I have to drive tonight.”

“Didn’t Eita drive?” Satori asks.

“I’m driving home,” Kenjirou insists. He instead pours himself a glass of chanmery, which causes odd looks from the rest of the pack.

Hayato shrugs. “That’s cool, here you go, Eita.” He goes to pass the glass to Eita.

Kenjirou gives Eita a look, which immediately turns into a glare when he says, “Not tonight, I’m not feeling it.”

“That’s weird. The only other adults not drinking are Kenji and Takanobu,” Taichi says.

Kenji wears a shit-eating grin as he jokes, “You’re not knocked up, too, are you?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Why would you say that?”

Wakatoshi finally steps in. “If they don’t want to drink, they don’t have to drink.”

Everyone settles down before making a toast. Kenjirou and Eita are thankful. There’s a reason Wakatoshi is the head alpha after all.

They make plans to tell everyone about the pregnancy next week on New Year’s Day. They’re not sure how much longer they can keep the secret.


	9. Chapter 9

**Sunday, January 1, 2023**

Miraculously, Kenjirou finds himself off both New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. After Eita’s performance during Kohaku, managing to wake up for the first sunrise is definitely a feat, but they manage it. They crawl back into bed afterward though, at least until it’s time to go to hatsumode.

They’re curled up in bed, not quite ready to leave the comfort and warmth. Kenjirou runs his fingers through Eita’s hair as he rests his head on Kenjirou’s chest.

“You should wear your kimono,” Eita muses when they wake up for the second time, “It was nice out this morning.”

Kenjirou cocks an eyebrow. “Are _you_ going to wear _yours_?”

“You’d look cute.”

“You’re avoiding the question.”

“No, I just want to see you in yours. You look fucking gorgeous.”

“You look good in yours too.”

“I don’t really want to wear mine,” Eita finally admits in defeat.

“Me neither.”

They dress warmly instead. It’s sunny, but there’s still a bite in the air. Eita wears his olive green canvas parka, with a fur-trimmed hood, that hangs mid-thigh as well as a pair of skinny jeans, one of his only pairs that lack holes. He tops it off with his black Docs and and a white beanie. He sticks to studs for his ear piercings, not wanting to get them caught in his hat. Kenjirou wears his dark blue pea coat, also hanging mid thigh, a pair of light blue jeans, white tennis shoes, and a thick, white cable-knit scarf.

In the early afternoon, they meet up with the rest of the pack. Satori has decided to dress for the occasion—wearing a lavender kimono with a gold obi and a dark purple haori. It’s a stark contrast to his bright red hair. He definitely makes a statement. He managed to talk Wakatoshi into it as well. However, he’s dressed in a less eye-catching fashion in a simple black kimono, a black haori, and a pair of black and white striped hakama. He wears it very well and looks completely in his element.

While Kenji and Takanobu haven’t dressed up themselves, their daughters are wearing little kimonos. Emiko has two elegant braids in her white hair, coming together in the back with a hair pin where they meet. She has a turquoise kimono with pink flowers and lime green and pink obi pieces.

Shiori has her long brown hair done up in a bun, though it’s coming undone in places from average child’s play. She wears a teal kimono, also with pink flowers, and a dark pink obi.

Mirai doesn’t have anything special done with her hair, but she still wears a light pink kimono with dark pink flowers and a dark pink obi.

Reon also has Mako dressed up in a light purple kimono with white butterflies and flowers along with a darker purple obi. He hasn’t done much with her hair, but her long, dark curls tumble down her back. She looks absolutely excited to be wearing a kimono.

“Ah! You guys look so cool!” Kanji exclaims when he sees everyone. He turns to Tsutomu. “I told you we should’ve worn kimono!”

“I didn’t know anyone else was wearing them,” Tsutomu mumbles.

“You would’ve looked even better than Wakatoshi.”

Tsutomu perks up at the comment. “Yeah? You think so?”

Kanji nods his head excitedly. “Absolutely! Don’t know if you could beat the girls though.”

Satori smiles wide as he ruffles Tsutomu’s hair. “Tomu always looks cool. You can compete with Toshi next year.”

Tsutomu turns his gaze to Wakatoshi with a determined expression. “Next year I’ll be better than you!”

“It’s not a competition, brat,” Kenjirou butts in.

Wakatoshi, however, seems to take the challenge and dons his own look of determination. “I look forward to it.”

“Anyway,” Satori shifts his attention to Kenji, “Let me see the baby!” He makes grabby hands toward Mirai.

“Absolutely,” Kenji replies.

Kenji still looks just as exhausted as last week. Kenjirou doesn’t understand how he manages three kids and being thirty-four weeks pregnant. He quietly decides that he’s going to have to discuss with Eita later just how many children they’ll have and how they’re going to have to have a cut off at no more than two. He doesn’t think he could ever handle four.

Kenji has Mirai awkwardly adjusted on his hip, which is a feat considering his swollen belly. Satori takes Mirai into his arms, and despite having the most intimidating aura Kenjirou and Eita have ever felt from a toddler, she manages a tiny smile at him. She curls her little arms around his neck, nuzzling in close.

Satori’s actually really good with kids. Mirai doesn’t talk much, just like her dad, but Satori doesn’t mind babbling to her, and she seems as interested as a toddler can possibly be. Sometimes, she gives a little “yes” or “no,” but she also doesn’t have a very big vocabulary at this point. She doesn’t talk as much as other kids her age. Still, she seems to adore him.

Takanobu has his other two daughters’ hands gripped tightly in his own. Their hands are puny compared to his. Eita kneels down in front of them with a smile, “You girls look beautiful! Who did your hair?”

“Papa!” Both Emiko and Shiori exclaim, pointing to Takanobu. He simply gives a nod.

“He did a good job, didn’t he?”

Mako perks up and escapes Reon’s hold to come join the conversation with her Uncle Eita.

“You look beautiful too, Mako.”

“Thank you!”

He chuckles as he ruffles her hair.

“Why don’t you have the pretty ear things?” Emiko asks, motioning to her own ears. She’s always fascinated by Eita’s piercings and tattoos.

“They might get caught in my hat. I’ll wear them next time for you.”

“I want ear things.” She looks up to her father, brown eyes sparkling.

“Me too!” Shiori chimes in, matching eyes just as shiny.

Takanobu looks unsure. Eita laughs, patting the girls’ heads, careful not to undo Takanobu’s hard work. “You’ll appreciate it more when you’re older.”

“Like you?” Mako asks.

“How old are you, Uncle Eita?” Emiko questions, “You’re really old, right?”

“I’m not that much older than your dad,” Eita laughs.

There’s a chorus of “Oooh.”

“Papa’s pretty old! He’s…” Emiko’s face scrunches up in concentration as she looks to her dad for an answer.

“Twenty-seven,” Takanobu answers softly.

“Twenty-seven!”

“See, I’m only twenty-eight,” Eita responds.

“Old!” Shiori exclaims.

“Like my daddy!” Mako chimes in.

“I hope I live that long!” Emiko proclaims.

Kenjirou feels his heart warm at the sight of Eita interacting with the kids. He knows Eita’s going to do great with their own.

“Anyway, we should get going,” Reon interrupts. The group murmurs their agreements. Mako shuffles back over to his side, gripping his hand.

They cleanse, offer their prayers, and make their way around. Eventually, everyone gets omikuji.

“Blessing to come!” Satori announces as he reads his. He peers over everyone’s shoulders trying to get a peak at what their fortunes are. “Small blessing to come! Good one, Toshi! Wow! Great blessing, Kenjirou!”

“Satori, relax,” Eita groans as Satori zooms between the pack.

“What about you, Emiko?” Satori asks. He still hasn’t relinquished Mirai back to her parents. He awkwardly kneels to Emiko’s height, keeping the toddler steady on his hip.

Emiko concentrates hard on her card, brows furrowed and lips pouted.

“Let me see, honey,” Kenji requests, reaching his hand out. He can’t lean down to her height if he actually hopes to get back up. Emiko passes the card to him. “Middle blessing. That’s pretty good!”

“Yeah! You’re gonna have a good year!” Satori agrees.

Emiko’s face lights up.

“What’s mine say, Daddy?” Mako asks, handing hers to Reon.

“Yours says middle blessing too.”

“Oh!” She turns to Emiko with a big smile, holding the card out. “We match!”

“We match!” Emiko beams.

Tsutomu looks grim as he stares down at his paper.

“What did you get, Tomu?” Kanji asks, carefully leaning over his mate. Shiori has convinced him to give her a ride on his shoulders.

“…big curse.”

“That’s bad!” Shiori proclaims.

“Hey! It’s okay!” Kanji pats Tsutomu on the back, keeping a tight grip on Shiori’s leg, “We’ll just tie it. It’ll be alright!” He leans down to place a kiss against Tsutomu’s temple.

Tsutomu pouts. “I wanted to get something good.”

“I only got half-blessing,” Reon offers, showing his card.

“We can get omamori,” Kanji proposes, “Then you’ll have good luck!”

After they tie off Tsutomu’s bad luck omikuji, the pack moves on. They do end up getting omamori. Satori eyes Eita and Kenjirou oddly as they pick up one for safe childbirth, but doesn’t say anything.

As they’re wandering around, Kenji waits until the rest of the group is a little ahead and mostly distracted. Satori _still_ hasn’t let go of Mirai; Shiori is excitedly babbling to Satori, now on Wakatoshi’s shoulders after Kanji claimed his were too sore; and Emiko and Mako are happily chattering away with each other, hands gripped tight to their fathers’ hands. Nobody is within earshot as Kenji gives Kenjirou and Eita a sly look.

“So, when are you telling everyone?”

“Tell everyone?” Kenjirou asks, cocking an eyebrow, playing cool.

“We’re not hiding anything,” Eita laughs a little nervously.

Kenji narrows his eyes, obviously not believing them. He crosses his arms over his chest where they rest just above his swollen belly. “I have _three_ kids. I can tell when someone’s pregnant.”

Kenjirou’s expression falls. Eita’s mouth hangs open.

“I also saw you pick up the childbirth omamori,” Kenji admits.

“Asshole,” Kenjirou mutters, causing Kenji to laugh.

“We were going to tell everyone tonight,” Eita says.

“Don’t worry, I won’t say anything until you’re ready.”

“Thanks.”

“You guys are gonna be great though. Eita’s wonderful with the girls so I know he’ll be that much better with yours. Let us know if you need advice or something. Congrats, by the way.”

Around evening, everyone parts ways to separately make their way to Wakatoshi and Satori’s home.

“Did you see Satori earlier?” Eita asks in the car, “He knows something’s up.”

Kenjirou purses his lips, not looking away from the road. “He’s going to find out. We were gonna tell them tonight, anyway.”

“I just wonder how Satori and Wakatoshi are going to take it.” Eita leans against the window. “It hasn’t even been a month since Satori’s miscarriage.”

“I’m not going to be able to drink again tonight. Taichi knew before we did and Kenji found out. There’s no hiding it anymore.”

Eita reaches over, placing his hand atop Kenjirou’s on the wheel. He rubs it back and forth. “I hope they take it okay. They’ve been trying for almost two years and we’ve never even mentioned trying to them.”

“We _weren’t_ trying.”

“We weren’t _not_ trying.”

“I guess.”

Eita frowns. “You don’t regret it do you?”

“No, of course not,” Kenjirou answers with a shake of his head.

“Me neither.”

Kenjirou smiles a little. He parks the car and they make their way into the Ushijima house. They’re the last to arrive. Satori and Wakatoshi bought osechi pre-made this year, but they’re still finishing up preparations for dinner. Reon is giving them a hand and Mako follows behind like a duckling.

“I’m gonna see if they need help,” Eita says, giving Kenjirou a kiss on the cheek.

Kenjirou makes his way to the living room where everyone else is gathered. Hayato has already broken out the sake. Taichi has helped himself to some. They’re gathered around the kotatsu with Takanobu and Kanji.

Tsutomu warns Kanji not to drink too much, being that he’s a lightweight, despite his size. Takanobu also refuses to drink since Kenji can’t, even though Kenji repeatedly tells him he doesn’t care.

Tsutomu sits on one of the couches with Kenji. Kenji laughs as Tsutomu tries and fails to get Mirai to smile at him. Emiko and Shiori sit on the floor by the couch, playing with a couple of dolls.

“Come have a drink, Kenjirou!” Hayato insists.

“Not tonight. I’m driving,” Kenjirou answers, excusing himself before even getting comfortable, “I think I’m going to go check on Eita.”

“That was weird,” Hayato comments.

“I don’t think he wants to drink right now,” Taichi replies.

“Huh, why?” Kanji asks.

Kenjirou shuffles off to the kitchen before anyone else can push the issue. All that’s left to do is set the table. It definitely doesn’t take six people, but Kenjirou helps, just so he doesn’t have to face anymore invitations to drink.

Dinner goes smoothly enough and everyone gathers back in the living room to relax. Kenjirou and Eita hadn’t discussed exactly how they were going to tell everyone, only that they _were_ going to tell everyone, and the pressure is building as the night winds down to an end.

There’s a movie playing on the television. Tsutomu and Reon have joined Hayato, Taichi, and Kanji at the kotatsu.

Wakatoshi and Satori are having an enthralling conversation with Mako and Emiko. Satori has Mirai in his lap where he tries to engage her in the discussion as well, but she’s obviously not too interested.

Kenjirou and Eita are leaned up against the couch. Shiori has fallen asleep in Kenjirou’s lap and he absentmindedly runs his hand through her hair. It’s since fallen out of its bun. Nina has her head in Eita’s lap as Eita leans his head against Kenjirou’s shoulder.

Reon, Kenji, and Takanobu seem to be glad to have a break from worrying about their daughters. Kenji’s dozed off with his head on Takanobu’s lap on the other couch. They all adore their children, but a break is nice sometimes.

“You should join us, Eita!” Tsutomu says with a smile, holding out a cup.

Eita shakes his head. He’s already decided he wasn’t going to drink without Kenjirou. “Not tonight.”

“That’s the same thing Kenjirou said,” Hayato says.

“Yeah, you didn’t drive tonight, did you?” Tsutomu frowns.

“Both you _and_ Kanji are drinking. You’re gonna have to get home somehow,” Kenjirou remarks, trying to stray the subject.

“Satori and Toshi will let us stay.” Tsutomu shrugs.

Satori smiles and ruffles Kenjirou’s hair. “You guys can stay too.”

Taichi’s smirking when he asks, “It’s weird that neither of you are drinking. You didn’t drink at Christmas either. What’s up?”

“Fucking asshole,” Kenjirou grumbles.

Eita sighs, deciding this is it, “We were gonna tell you tonight anyway, but Kenjirou’s pregnant.”

“I knew it! I thought I smelled it on you!” Satori declares, “You even look pregnant!”

“What?” Kenjirou turns around to give him an offended look. “I’m only twelve weeks.”

Tsutomu’s face lights up. “Congrats!”

Kenjirou doesn’t discuss the issue with Satori anymore. Satori and Wakatoshi seem happy enough for him and Eita. There’s a relief that comes with that.

The rest of the evening goes by smoothly enough. Kenji and Takanobu don’t stay late; the girls begin to get tired after too long and Kenji’s exhausted too. Reon hadn’t actually drank anything, so he leaves early too, making sure Mako gets to bed close to her bedtime. Kenjirou and Eita don’t stay much longer. Unlike everyone else, Kenjirou has work in the morning. It seems that everyone else crashes at Wakatoshi and Satori’s place for the night.

Still, Eita and Kenjirou are glad that the announcement went smoothly and that the pack is happy about their upcoming arrival. They knew most of them would be happy. It was Satori and Wakatoshi they’ve been worried about, but they seem happy for them, so they hope for the best.

* * *

Kenjirou stares himself down as he stands in only his boxers in front of the full length mirror in their bedroom. He’s just finished drying his hair as Eita showers. He turns sideways, hands roaming his belly.

Does he look pregnant? He’s still thinking about Satori’s comment from earlier tonight. He’s read that first time mothers might not show until their sixteenth week. He doesn’t feel like he has a bump yet, maybe a little bloated, but not a full blown bump.

“You okay?”

Kenjirou jumps when Eita walks out of the bathroom. He looks amused. He’s in his pajamas—some old indie band T-shirt that Hayato had gotten him in high school and a pair of gray lounge pants.

“Uh,” Kenjirou pauses, looking down at himself, very aware of his lack of clothing, “Yeah.”

Eita closes the gap between them. He reaches down, running his fingers against Kenjirou’s belly, causing him to shiver at the touch.

“Is this about Satori saying you look pregnant?”

“Yeah.” Kenjirou watches Eita’s hands. “Do you think I have a bump?”

“I think he just wants to tease you.”

Kenjirou hums, taking holding of Eita’s wrists. “That’s probably it.”

“You might’ve gained a few pounds,” Eita continues, “But I don’t think it’s a bad thing.”

“I know you don’t. You popped a boner when you thought about it.”

“Listen.”

They both laugh. Kenjirou takes a step forward, wrapping his arms around Eita’s neck and resting his forehead on his shoulder. Eita takes hold of Kenjirou’s waist.

“Are you worried about your weight?” Eita asks.

“Not really. I’m gonna have to gain some, at least eleven and a half kilos.”

“You’re gonna be so sexy.” Eita pulls back, smirking at Kenjirou.

“We’ve established this.”

“I can’t wait to show you off. I mean, _I_ did this to you.”

Kenjirou pulls back. “I don’t know how to tell you this, but I also took part.”

Eita laughs, leaning in for a kiss. Kenjirou leans into it.

“If you’re comfortable, we could document it, see how big you get.”

Kenjirou gives Eita a skeptical look. “Is this another way for you to get off?”

Eita rolls his eyes. “It’s a way to remember the pregnancy.”

“I think we’re going to remember I was pregnant when we have a baby in seven months.”

“I mean, we don’t have to. I just think it would be neat to compare each week.”

Kenjirou sighs, “Fine. Do what you have to do before I change my mind.”

Eita smiles and goes to fetch his phone. Kenjirou throws on his pajamas, not wanting to be mostly naked for this. He lines up sideways by the wall as Eita stands far enough away to get a body shot.

“I feel like I’m getting a mugshot,” Kenjirou deadpans.

“You do always say you got your bangs from prison.”

Kenjirou lets out a dry laugh before asking, “Did you get it?”

“Just a second.” Eita’s tongue edges out as he focuses on steadying his hand to get the photo just right. “Do you want to do something cute?”

“Cute?” Kenjirou turns to Eita, a somewhat disgusted look on his face.

“You know, maybe put your hand on your belly or something. That’s what we’re focusing on and it’ll look less like a mugshot.”

Kenjirou complies and Eita checks the shot and makes sure that it’s in focus.

“Got it!”

Kenjirou hums, brushing past Eita to head toward his side of the bed.

“Don’t you want to see?” Eita frowns.

“What is there to see?” Kenjirou asks. He’s situated on his knees toward the headboard, fluffing up one of his pillows. “I was staring at myself in my underwear for ten minutes.”

“I guess.” Eita sits his phone down on the nightstand, plugging it into its charger, and crawls into bed next to Kenjirou, settling under the covers. He stays sitting though. “But it’s going to be exciting to see! We can do it every week. We’ll count this as twelve.”

“Lay down,” Kenjirou mumbles when he’s turned around. He stares at Eita expectantly. Eita swears he can see a slight pout.

Eita smirks at him, teasing, “Feeling clingy? You want to cuddle?”

“Stop.” Kenjirou’s lip quivers a little. He gazes down at his hands, wringing the comforter in his fingers. His eyes are glassy.

“Ken,” Eita sighs. He wraps his arm around Kenjirou’s shoulders and takes one of his hands into his own, kissing his knuckles. “I’m sorry, babe.”

Kenjirou hasn’t really experienced mood swings so far, but it seems they’re in for some _fun_ times.

“I just need to be near you right now,” Kenjirou says, a tear slipping down his cheek. He quickly wipes it away.

“That’s fine,” Eita insists, “I’ll be here all you need. I’m your mate. I promised you when we got married that I would do anything for you. You need my touch? Consider it done.”

“Sorry,” Kenjirou sighs.

“You don’t need to apologize. Your body’s going through a lot right now.”

Kenjirou takes a deep breath, leaning further into Eita’s touch. He rests his head onto Eita’s shoulder. Eita kisses the top of his head.

“Don’t be afraid to ask me for anything,” Eita continues, “Anytime you need my touch. Hell, I’m preparing myself for late night craving runs. Whatever you need. I’m here for you, okay. I love you so fucking much, Ken.”

“I love you too.” Kenjirou raises their hands to his own lips, kissing Eita’s knuckles. He gives Eita’s hand a squeeze.

“You want to go to sleep? You know how fast morning comes.”

Kenjirou nods. Eita lets go temporarily, just long enough to settle onto his back. He leaves one arm to the side, ready to wrap around Kenjirou. Kenjirou shimmies down onto his own back and turns onto his side, curling into Eita. Eita pulls him close. Kenjirou rests his head on Eita’s chest and finds himself relaxed listening to the beating of his heart. He allows himself a small smile before quickly drifting off to sleep.


	10. Chapter 10

**Wednesday, January 4, 2023**

Kenjirou has his twelve week appointment in the morning. Eita accompanies him. It goes smoothly. They get to see the baby again and hear their heartbeat. Everything seems to be in order. Kenjirou is healthy and the baby seems to be doing just as well.

They get more sonograms. These are the ones they finally share with everyone. Kenjirou shares pictures in the pack group chat; Satori has especially wanted to see.

They make a trip to Eita’s parents to meet with them and Kana, planning to break the news. Everyone is ecstatic to see them. They haven’t seen them since Koichi’s birthday dinner. Eita’s parents had taken to Kenjirou’s brothers as if they were their own so they celebrated his birthday with them.

Eita’s mom, Rieko, has a knowing look on her face when she releases from her hug with Kenjirou, but she doesn’t say anything. She just smiles softly at both her son and son-in-law.

“You two need to visit more.”

Eita’s dad, Haruto, agrees.

Rieko whispers something to Haruto and he nods. He heads to the kitchen to get everyone something to drink while the rest of them head to the living room. Eita and Kenjirou sit on one couch and Rieko and Kana sit on the one adjacent.

“It’s been a while!” Kana says.

“Yeah, sorry,” Eita laughs, rubbing at the back of his neck, “Things get busy.”

Haruto returns with a tray, sitting it on the kotatsu. He has coffee for everyone, but there’s one cup of tea. He passes the mugs around and places the cup of tea in front of Kenjirou. Kenjirou looks kind of taken aback. Haruto takes a seat next to Rieko on the couch.

Rieko smiles. “I thought you might want something with less caffeine.”

Kenjirou bites his lip and nods. “Thank you. I’ve been trying to cut back.”

Kenjirou knows at this point that she knows.

“We actually wanted to talk to you about that,” Eita says. He pulls out his wallet where he put the latest sonogram. He hands it over to his mother with a big smile.

Kenjirou and Eita watch in anticipation. Rieko and Haruto recognize what the photo is right away and their faces light up. It takes a moment for Kana. Rieko is the first to jump up from her seat to rush over to Eita and Kenjirou, hugging them tight. Haruto and Kana join her not long after.

“I knew I smelled it on you, Kenjirou,” Rieko says when they all release from the hug.

“It’s about time you make me an aunt,” Kana quips.

“You could have your own baby,” Eita counters.

“With who? Plus I’m only twenty-five.”

“How far along are you, Kenjirou?” Haruto asks, interrupting his children’s banter.

“I just hit twelve weeks on Monday,” Kenjirou answers, “I’m due on July 17th.”

The rest of the visit goes smoothly. They had gotten an extra sonogram, knowing that Eita’s parents would want one to hang on the fridge. This is their first grandchild after all. They’re ecstatic with the news.

Kenjirou breaks the news over a video call to his brothers. It’s not like he doesn’t want to tell them in person, but trying to line up their schedules is hard and being that the first time they’re going to see each other in a month is to meet Takao’s new courting partner, Kenjirou doesn’t want to take the attention away from them.

After breaking the news to their pack and their families, Kenjirou shares a photo of the most recent sonogram on his social media while Eita shares it on his own—both public and private ones—officially announcing the pregnancy with “Baby Semi’s release date: July 2023”

“That sounds morbid,” Kenjirou deadpans when he sees Eita’s public post.

“It’s like a new album,” Eita insists.

“It sounds like they’re a caged animal.”

The news that Enigma’s frontman is becoming a father trends on music circles of Twitter and Instagram. They know it’s only a matter of time before Eita’s approached for interviews regarding the matter.

In the meantime, Kenjirou and Eita are meeting Takao and his new partner for dinner in the evening. Koichi is joining them, as well as Takao’s court mate’s brother, his mate, and their three children. It seems like a lot, honestly; ten people could make up a whole pack. Still, Takao insists it’s important so Kenjirou goes along with it.

It’s a nice enough restaurant, similar to the one they went to for Christmas Eve. They don’t have a private room this time though. Koichi is already there when Kenjirou and Eita arrive. He waves excitedly when he notices them.

Koichi is slightly taller than Kenjirou. He’s close to Eita’s height at 183 centimeters. He has a similar build to Kenjirou, but still proportionate to his height. His hair is the same caramel color as Kenjirou’s, but definitely longer. He’s able to pull it back into a short, low ponytail, but his shaggy bangs still fall in his face. He still has the same eyes as Kenjirou, only warmer.

He happily embraces both of them in hugs.

“I missed you!” He smiles at Kenjirou, resting his hands on his shoulders, holding him at arm’s length. “You smell pregnant.”

“That would be because I am,” Kenjirou replies sarcastically.

The reservation is under Takao’s name, so they’re stuck waiting until he arrives. They catch up in the meantime. However, another waiting family catches Kenjirou’s eye.

“You okay?” Eita asks, noticing how Kenjirou seems distracted.

The family in question includes a male alpha with dark hair and dark eyes as well as a male omega with silver hair and warm brown eyes. The omega is built similarly to Kenjirou, but he’s a little softer around the edges. They have three children with them: a boy probably close to ten that’s the spitting image of the older alpha; a slightly younger boy with silver hair and dark eyes, a perfect mix of both the alpha and omega; and a little girl, probably no older than two, who looks exactly like the omega.

“Does that couple look familiar?” Kenjirou asks.

“That omega kind of looks like you, Eita,” Koichi muses.

Eita gives him a skeptical look, but he can’t argue. The hair is similar, minus Eita’s dyed tips.

They don’t get time to discuss it because Takao is walking through the door with an omega that looks scarily similar to the omega they’ve just been scrutinizing.

Takao is taller than both Kenjirou and Koichi at 185 centimeters. He has hair a couple shades darker than Kenjirou and Koichi, but the same chocolate brown eyes. His hair is shaggy with razored bangs though, a stark contrast to Kenjirou’s blunt cut ones. He has a lean build.

The omega clutching Takao’s hand looks nearly identical to the older omega standing on the other side of the room. He sports the same silver hair, swooped to the side, and warm brown eyes. He probably stands around 175 centimeters and has a build similar to the older omega.

“Kaede! Takao!” The older omega calls.

Oh, so the other family must be who they’re meeting.

Koichi rushes over to hug Takao and introduce himself. Kenjirou and Eita join him, a little less exuberantly.

“Sorry if we made you wait,” Takao laughs, “Especially you, Sawamura-san.”

“Sawamura-san” is apparently the older omega because he playfully punches Takao in the arm. “How many times do I have to tell you to call me Koushi?”

_Sawamura Koushi._

Kenjirou and Eita share glances, realizing just who this other couple is.

Koushi turns to them. “I thought you two looked familiar!” He looks to the alpha. “I told you it was them Daichi!”

“Sorry for staring earlier,” Eita apologizes, a little embarrassed.

Koushi waves him off. “No, it’s fine! Honestly, I knew we would be seeing Shirabu-kun tonight, but it’s so hard to remember a face from high school.”

Takao is an elementary school teacher and Kenjirou can only assume Koushi is the coworker he’s mentioned. When asked about where Takao had met Kaede, he had mentioned that he was a coworker’s brother, but Kenjirou never thought that Kaede’s family name would be relevant.

Kenjirou flinches at the use of his old family name though. Eita senses his unease and takes hold his hand, giving it a squeeze.

“It’s Semi now,” Eita corrects him for Kenjirou.

“Oh, I’m so sorry!”

“It’s fine,” Kenjirou mumbles.

Pleasantries are made and Koushi and Daichi introduce their little ones: Hiroshi, the oldest at nine years old; Satoshi, the middle at eight years old; and Airi, the baby at two years old.

“Aren’t you Eita’s age?” Kenjirou asks with a raised eyebrow when Koushi introduces Hiroshi.

Koushi laughs and pats Hiroshi’s shoulder. “I was only nineteen when Hiroshi was born.”

“You said he turned nine in October, so you would’ve gotten pregnant right around nationals.”

Koushi nods. “It wasn’t planned or anything, but I wouldn’t take it back.” He wears a knowing smirk. “So how far along are you?”

Kenjirou’s jaw drops. Neither of them seem the type to keep up with Eita’s band. He’s only stopped using scent coverings three days ago so it surprises him that someone could notice. “Twelve weeks.”

Suddenly, Airi wears the cutest pout as she makes grabby hands toward Kenjirou. “Want! Want!”

Koushi laughs, “No, honey.”

Kenjirou hesitates, but ultimately offers, “I don’t mind.”

“Are you sure? She’s a handful.”

“Yeah, that’s fine.”

Koushi settles Airi into Kenjirou’s arms and she wraps her little arms around his neck. She gives him a toothy smile and he smiles back at her.

Kenjirou finds it odd that she wants to see him. Usually at this age, children are afraid of strangers, but Airi seems to be as friendly as can be. He supposes his new smell can also be a factor. Children find pregnancy pheromones comforting; it’s a way to find parental figures.

“Hi,” She drags out the word.

She’s definitely more friendly than Mirai.

“Hello.”

The restaurant host offers to take the group back to their table.

Eita chuckles as he returns to Kenjirou’s side, “I see you have a new friend.” He smiles at Airi, “What’s your name?” He caught her name, but he wants to make conversation with her.

Airi’s face scrunches up and she buries her face into Kenjirou’s neck. She lets out a whine.

“Guess she’s only my friend,” Kenjirou jokes.

Just as the host is leading them back, Eita feels a hand on his shoulder. He turns back to find a curious beta woman.

“Can I help you?” He asks a little roughly.

Kenjirou doesn’t leave his side.

“You’re actually Semisemi!” The woman says, “Is the news true?”

Eita wraps his arm around Kenjirou’s shoulder and smiles proudly. “Absolutely.”

They want to get back to dinner, but Eita signs his autograph for her and takes a selfie before following everyone else.

Airi allows Kenjirou to put her in a high chair, but she isn’t happy unless she’s next to him, which results in her sitting between him and Koushi at the round table. Eita sits at his other side, of course.

Dinner seems to be going smoothly. Koushi and Daichi are nice people. Kenjirou and Eita had never spoken to them off the court in high school, so it’s the first time they’ve really talked to them. Their children are also friendly and well-behaved. It all seems to be going well until Takao asks for everyone’s attention.

“Sawamura-san—“

“Koushi,” Koushi corrects for the umpteenth time that night.

“Right, Koushi,” Takao continues. He looks to Kaede who nods. “The main reason we wanted to have dinner tonight is I wanted to ask your permission to mate with Kaede.”

The table goes silent. Kenjirou chokes on his food and Eita pats him on the back.

Kenjirou had been under the impression that Takao had simply wanted them to meet his court mate and his court mate’s family. He had never imagined that he was asking for permission to mate.

“I mean I’m okay with it,” Koushi laughs, “You didn’t even have to ask me.” He looks to Kaede. “It’s what you want, right?”

Kaede nods enthusiastically. “More than anything.”

“Then of course I don’t care.”

Dinner goes just as well from that point. When they’re finished, Airi doesn’t want to say goodbye to Kenjirou. He feels kind of bad passing her back off to Koushi.

“I’ve been meaning to ask,” Koushi starts, taking Airi into his arms. Everyone else is distracted and they’re the only two involved in this conversation. “Would you like to go get coffee or something? You don’t have to drink coffee of course. You could have tea or whatever you’d like, but I thought maybe you’d like a mom friend.”

“Um,” Kenjirou isn’t sure what to make of this.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to!”

“No, it’s,” Kenjirou pauses. This is really weird. “It’s fine.”

“Great!”

They end up exchanging numbers and decide to coordinate for their plans later. They bid farewell and Eita and Kenjirou are back in the car, heading home.

“So what did Sawamura want to talk with you about?” Eita asks as he drives.

“He invited me to a café. He wants to be my _mom friend_.”

Eita laughs, “Are you going to have a mommy group?”

“Oh god, I hope not.”

* * *

**Friday, January 6, 2023**

Kenjirou’s not sure what it is that made him accept Koushi’s proposal to meet up. Maybe it’s the fact he feels like he’s not sure what he’s going into with the pregnancy and Koushi has offered him a guiding hand. Kenji has also offered his advice, but Kenjirou hasn’t felt the need to reach out just yet. Koushi had insisted they go out and for whatever reason, Kenjirou felt compelled to accept.

Kenjirou doesn’t particularly feel like he needs guidance at the moment and he can definitely just research it himself, but it’s kind of nice knowing he has a real person he can turn to, someone he knows has gone through what he has. He can’t turn to his own mother and he doesn’t have any mom friends other than Kenji, who definitely has his hands fuller than Koushi; they may both have three kids, but at least two of Koushi’s go to school all day whereas Emiko and Shiori only go part of the day, not to mention Kenji’s close to giving birth to his fourth child. He supposes there’s Reon as far as parent friends, but he definitely has different experiences than Kenjirou will get.

Koushi is already at the café when Kenjirou arrives around four thirty. He has Airi situated in his lap, secured in a baby carrier. She has half her hair pulled up into a little ponytail on the top of her head. Koushi smiles when he notices Kenjirou and waves him over.

Koushi already has a mug of coffee and a cup of tea for Kenjirou. There’s also a plate with a couple of cookies on the table. Airi is happily nibbling on a cookie, but nearly drops it to wave when she notices Kenjirou; Koushi catches it though.

“Careful, baby,” Koushi warns, ruffling her hair and handing the cookie back to her. He looks up to Kenjirou. “I’m glad to see you came.”

“Yeah, thanks for inviting me I guess.”

Kenjirou isn’t sure what he’s supposed to say. It feels kind of awkward. In a sense, they’re probably going to be family…almost. Their brothers are going to mate so it’s kind of like they’re going to be in-laws. Again, almost. It’s a weird situation to Kenjirou.

Also, he’s not sure if he should still feel awkward losing to Koushi’s team ten years ago. It’s kind of silly to feel awkward—he knows it’s silly—but he had had a breakdown of sorts following the loss. He’s kind of bitter over the toll it took on his mental health.

Still, Koushi seems so nice. He seems so welcoming and ten years is a long time. Neither have properly played volleyball since high school. It’s a thing of the past. They’re grown adults now, mated and married. Koushi has three children and Kenjirou has a baby on the way. It seems silly to stress over something from so long ago.

“Ken!”

Kenjirou is snapped out of his thoughts to find Airi awkwardly twisting in her carrier to make grabby hands toward him. He waves to her and calls her name. She beams and settles down.

“You don’t have any other mom friends, do you?” Koushi asks, getting straight to the point.

“No.” Kenjirou shakes his head before raising his cup to his lips. He’s surprised that Koushi could pick one of his favorite flavors.

“There’s Kenji. He’s part of our pack. You might remember him from Date Tech,” Kenjirou continues, “But he’s the only one. Reon’s a dad friend, though.”

“Yeah, I know Kenji. We’re friends. But how did he become part of your pack?”

“Remember Kogane? The tall guy that has hair like a cockatoo?” Kenjirou holds up three fingers to his forehead. He receives a nod from Koushi, prompting him to continue, “He’s mated to our youngest omega, Tsutomu—the bowl cut brat. So when they mated, Kenji and Takanobu joined our pack, too. It was just the three of them. They weren’t a really big pack.”

“Can you really make fun of his bowl cut when you have one yourself?” Koushi takes a sip of his coffee.

Kenjirou was mid-drink when Koushi asked and he chokes on his drink. He pounds at his chest. “Did you just sass me?”

Koushi laughs, “I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s fine. I prefer it, actually. I thought you were kind of bland before.”

“I need to apologize about the other night, too. I noticed you tensed up when I called you by your old family name. I asked Takao about it and he told me everything.”

Kenjirou’s not sure how he feels about that. He’s also not sure just how close Takao and Koushi are. They must be close if Takao felt the need to ask Koushi for his blessings to mate with Kaede.

“I understand,” Koushi comes clean, “My parents disowned me.”

“I didn’t know.”

“No! It’s okay! It was a long time ago.”

Kenjirou isn’t sure why Koushi is telling him this, but lets him continue.

“They didn’t mind Kaede or me being omegas,” Koushi goes on, “But when I got pregnant at eighteen is when the issue started. I have no problem with abortion. I’m very pro-choice, but it’s not a choice for me. I had already seen Hiroshi on an ultrasound. Daichi and I had made up our minds, but so had my parents. You can see where this is going.”

“They wanted you to get an abortion?” Kenjirou asks.

“Yeah. I refused obviously and so they disowned me. Daichi’s family took me in and I’m grateful. They already have five kids of their own, so it was a lot, but they love me a lot and I’m so grateful for that.”

Kenjirou is reminded of the way Eita’s family adores him.

“Daichi’s parents were happy to have a grandchild,” Koushi continues, “Even if it was kind of soon. They were pretty young themselves when they had Daichi, only about twenty.

“Kaede wasn’t happy with how they treated me, so he’s estranged from them. As soon as he became a legal adult, he left them and hasn’t turned back since. I think he’s brave. I’m not sure I could do that.”

Kenjirou’s thinks of his own brothers and how their relationships suffer with their parents because of how they treated him.

“I think we’re a lot alike in that sense,” Koushi says.

Kenjirou nods. He takes another sip of his tea. “Me too.”

“I’d like to keep in contact if that’s okay.”

Kenjirou pauses. Koushi is a lot nicer than he could have imagined. “Yeah, I think I’d like that.”

“Would you be interested in meeting up on Sunday? This is going to sound kind of lame, but,” Koushi laughs, “I’m part of a mommy group.”

“A mommy group?” Kenjirou doesn’t mean to sound disgusted, but he absolutely does. He can’t believe Eita was right about this.

“I know how it sounds, but it’s actually really nice to be apart of. It’s nice to have others with kids for play dates and advice and stuff. Kenji’s part of it, along with some other moms you might’ve met.”

“Kenji’s in a mommy group?” Kenjirou half laughs.

“I know, I know. I promise it’s nice.”

“I feel like I’m being pulled into an MLM.”

“None of us do that,” Koushi laughs, “Hiro probably should though. He’s been unemployed for who knows how long. I’ll bring it up with him.”

“Who’s all in it?”

“Oh, you’re probably familiar with them all. We’re all on a given name basis since it’s just easier that way,” Koushi chuckles, “Half of them have changed family names anyway.

“I’m the only mom in my pack so far, but there’s Shimizu Kiyoko and Hitoka from my pack. They were Karasuno’s team managers. Kiyoko’s an alpha, but she’s doing surrogacy for an alpha/beta pair in our pack. She’s about five weeks ahead of you. There’s also an omega from my pack who,” Koushi pauses, “Recently had a miscarriage. His name is Tadashi. His family name is Tsukishima, but it used to be Yamaguchi.

“You obviously know Kenji, so I don’t need to go over him.

“There’s also the former Nekoma team. There’s the head omega Kozume Kenma. He’s married to the old captain Kuroo Tetsurou—Tetsurou took his name by the way since Kenma has his YouTube career. He’s almost eight weeks pregnant. There’s also Yaku Morisuke—the former libero. His alpha, Lev, also took his name. He was on the national team with Ushijima, so I’m not sure if you’re familiar with him. He has a four-month-old daughter named Anya. She was born eight weeks prematurely so when you meet her, don’t be surprised with how tiny she is. Also from their pack is Bokuto—used to be Akaashi—Keiji. He was Fukurodani’s setter. He has an eleven-month-old son, Naoki.

“Then there’s the old Seijoh team. There’s—“

“Oh god,” Kenjirou interrupts, “Don’t tell me Oikawa’s mate is part of that group.”

“ _Oikawa’s_ not,” Koushi assures. “He only recently returned from Argentina and taken his place as head omega.”

“Omega? I always thought he was an alpha.”

“Nope!” Koushi smiles, “He’s an omega alright! He and his alpha had a baby in high school about five months before Daichi and me. They gave him up for adoption, though. It was too late for an abortion. They still see him—Hajime was the only one for a long time—and he lives around here. He was in my class a couple years ago and he’s Hiroshi’s best friend.”

“Oh, so he used scents?” Kenjirou questions. It’s a valid point. He, the other omegas, and even the betas like Reon and Hayato were forced to use scents to appear as alphas in high school if they wanted any chance to participate in athletics at Shiratorizawa.

“Yeah. But he’s still an omega through and through. He still uses them, so don’t spread the information around.”

Kenjirou nods. “So the other former Seijoh omegas?”

“Yeah! They’re part of Oikawa’s pack. There’s Matsukawa—Hanamaki—Takahiro. You might remember him as Makki, but it’s kind of hard to call him that when his family name is Matsukawa now. He and Issei have a set of girl/boy twins: Himari and Aoi. They just turned two in December. Then there’s Kindaichi Akira. His last name was Kunimi. He has a daughter who’s almost two named Reina. Finally there’s Kyoutani Shigeru. You probably remember him as Yahaba, the team captain from your third year.”

Kenjirou groans. He very much remembers Yahaba. He was a major pain in the ass.

“I guess you remember him?” Koushi laughs.

“You can say that.” Kenjirou’s lips pull into a thin line.

“Anyway, he has a son with his husband Kentarou. Akio also just turned two in December. He’s pregnant again, about five weeks ahead of you, so about seventeen weeks.”

“That’s a large group.”

“Oh I’m not finished,” Koushi says, “There’s also the old Inarizaki members. There’s their head omega, the old captain, Ojiro—Kita—Shinsuke. He has a daughter, Yukine, who’s going to be three in May. He’s pregnant again. He’s twenty-four weeks today. Finally, there’s Miya Osamu. He’s one of the twins. His husband Rintarou—you might remember him as Suna—took his last name because of his business. They’ve been trying for a while but we still love to have him in the group.

“I know it sounds kind of lame,” Koushi finishes off, “But I’d love if you’d join us.”

Kenjirou sighs. He can’t believe he’s doing this. “Yeah, whatever, I’ll join the mommy group.”


	11. Chapter 11

**Sunday, January 8, 2023**

Kenjirou’s not sure what to expect when he pulls up to the Sawamura residence to meet the mommy group for the first time. He knows that it’s made up of a number of his old high school rivals. When Kenjirou mentioned it to Satori, he had wanted to join in the “fun” and when he pushed Kenjirou to ask Koushi, he was more than happy to have another face join.

The homes of head alphas and omegas are typically fairly large to accommodate packs when needed, but the Sawamura residence isn’t quite as big as the Ushijima residence. Kenjirou and Satori have to walk a little ways considering the number of cars parked nearby.

The first thing Kenjirou notices when Koushi opens the door is the noise. He’s already been told there are fifteen adults—including himself and Satori—and thirteen children that would be here, and the noise level definitely shows it.

“Come in!” Koushi greets.

“Don’t mind if we do!” Satori responds, walking past Kenjirou and inviting himself in. He offers his hand to Koushi to shake. “I’m Ushijima Satori if you don’t remember me.” He gives a sly grin. “I’m sure you do, though.”

Koushi smiles at him. “You were Tendou, right?”

“The one and only!” Satori points a finger.

Kenjirou sees this is going just _great_. He slips his shoes off.

“I don’t know if you remember everyone, so I don’t mind reintroducing you,” Koushi says as they enter leave the entryway, “I wouldn’t want anyone to feel awkward not remembering anyone.”

It’s crowded when they enter the living room. There are eight toddlers running around, along with Emiko who is just a bit older. Koushi’s boys are playing video games with an omega man with long black hair pulled back into a bun. There are also two babies.

“Hey everyone, let’s get in a circle so we can refamiliarize with our new faces,” Koushi announces.

Kenjirou definitely feels like he’s joined a multi-level-marketing scheme.

As all the adults are finding seats around the room—whether it be the couches or dining room chairs brought in—Kenjirou makes eye contact with another pregnant omega. _Oh no_ , he recognizes this guy. This guy was captain of Seijoh his third year. Kenjirou remembers their adopted rivalry. So Yahaba is part of the group after all.

Once everyone is settled, Koushi starts, “Alright, let’s start with our new members. They used to play for Shiratorizawa. We have Semi Kenjirou. He’s—“

“Shirabu, right?” Yahaba has a glare fixed on Kenjirou.

“It’s Semi now,” Kenjirou corrects shortly.

Koushi had been nice enough to avoid using his former family name, but it seems no one else is aware of the situation. He’s glad for that though; no one needs to know.

Yahaba hums and it irritates Kenjirou.

“Let’s keep it civil,” Koushi reminds everyone, “We’re not in high school anymore. Anyway, how far along are you again, Kenjirou?”

“Thirteen weeks tomorrow.” Kenjirou is hating every minute of this. He regrets everything.

“And I’m Ushijima Satori!” Satori butts in. Kenjirou’s actually glad. “It used to be _Tendou_ Satori, but I’m married to my miracle boy, Ushijima Wakatoshi. We don’t have any little ones yet, but hopefully soon.”

“How about we go clockwise from Satori? You two already know Kenji and his daughters, so we can skip them,” Koushi continues.

From there is Yahaba. He keeps eye contact with Kenjirou. “I went to Aoba Johsai. You probably remember me as Yahaba, but it’s Kyoutani Shigeru now.”

Shigeru bounces a toddler boy on his knee. He looks just like him. The only difference is the eyes. He has a matching eye shape, but they’re golden.

Shigeru has broken eye contact by now. “This is Akio. He’s two. I’m also seventeen weeks pregnant.”

The man next to him looks like he could fall asleep at any moment. His daughter is already passed out in his arms.

“Akira,” Shigeru says, nudging him a little with his elbow, “You’re next.”

Akira straightens up and his daughter rouses from her sleep. She starts whimpering, probably upset about being disturbed. He hushes her quietly. When she doesn’t quit, he stands up and leaves the room with her, not saying a word to anyone.

“That’s Kindaichi Akira formerly from Aoba Johsai,” Shigeru says when it appears Akira’s not coming back immediately, “He used to be Kunimi. His daughter Reina will be two later this month.”

“Thanks, Shigeru,” Koushi says before turning to the next man, “You wanna go next, Hiro?”

The next guy was a third year during Kenjirou’s second year. Kenjirou remembers him from Oikawa’s squad.

“I also went to Aoba Johsai. Oikawa still calls me Makki, but Hiro’s okay too since I’m _Matsukawa_ Takahiro now. And these two squirts,” He looks to two toddlers running around, “Are my twins Aoi and Himari. They’re two.”

Both of the kids have wide smiles as Takahiro scoops them into his arms, planting wet kisses on their cheeks. Himari, the little girl, squeals. Both kids sport thick eyebrows and hooded eyes, but Himari has pinkish-brown hair pulled up into two tiny ponytails. Aoi, the little boy, has messy black curls.

Next to him is the man Kenjirou recognizes as the old Inarizaki captain during his second year. He attended Satori and Wakatoshi’s wedding last year with his husband; his husband was on the national team with Wakatoshi.

He’s visibly pregnancy. He has a little girl bouncing on his lap. She has brown skin, a pronounced nose and pronounced lips, and white braided hair falling into red beads.

“I’m Ojiro Shinsuke. Use ta be from Inarizaki. Ya probably remember me as Kita Shinsuke.” He smiles fondly as he looks down to the little girl on his lap and it’s a little strange to see him look so soft. “This is Yukine. She’s two an’ a half. Her brother will be here in four months.”

The man next to him was also at Satori’s wedding with his husband from the national team. Kenjirou remembers him from Inarizaki as one of the twins. Satori couldn’t stand them.

“I’m Miya Osamu. Ya probably remember the Miya twins from Inarizaki. My husband took my last name. We’ve been tryin’ for a little one for a while.”

“Guess I’m next.”

Kenjirou recognizes the next man as the Fukurodani captain from his third year. He was another guest from the wedding. He was there with his husband from the national team as well. Kenjirou especially remembers him as a man that scarily resembles an owl.

This man has an older infant situated on his lap. He has messy black hair and thick eyebrows, matching his mother’s, but the most striking thing about the baby is his wide gold eyes, resembling those of the baby’s father. Kenjirou thinks he almost looks like an owl too. The little boy has his head rested on the man’s shoulder, gripping at his shirt.

“I’m Bokuto Keiji, formerly Akaashi. I went to Fukurodani. And this little one,” Keiji pauses to look down at his son, “Would you like to say hi?” The little boy shakes his head. “That’s okay.” He turns back to everyone. “This is Naoki. He’ll be one one next month.”

The man next to Keiji seems uninterested in everything. He’s the omega who was playing video games with Koushi’s sons earlier. He’s playing on a handheld console now. Kenjirou remembers the shocking gold eyes—they remind him of a cat’s—as those of Nekoma’s former setter. He was at the wedding too, though his husband wasn’t on the national team as a player, but as a sports promoter.

“Kenma,” Keiji says, “It’s your turn.”

“Oh.” Kenma pauses his game to look up. “I’m Kozume Kenma. I’m two months pregnant.”

“Good job, Kenma,” The man to Kenma’s left laughs. He punches him in the arm lightly.

This next omega has sandy colored hair and a smaller stature. Kenjirou thinks he might have been Nekoma’s libero during his second year and he _knows_ he was a libero during the last Olympics. He was at the wedding too and Kenjirou remembers how intimidating his husband was: a man who stood taller than even Wakatoshi with piercing green eyes.

He’s got a baby carrier on with a small baby. Kenjirou thinks she could only be a couple months old. She has silver hair and shocking green eyes, similar to the man’s husband, but not quite the same; she looks nothing like her mother.

“I went to Nekoma. I’m Yaku Morisuke,” The former libero introduces himself, “My alpha took my last name so there’s no change.” He gives the baby carrier a little bounce when the little girl inside starts to stir. “This is my daughter Anya. She’s four months old.”

Kenjirou has to stop himself from being shocked. Koushi did warn him after all.

Morisuke smiles to a blonde omega woman next to him. “Your turn Hitoka-chan.”

“Oh!”

Kenjirou’s not sure he recognizes this woman, but it’s not like he got a chance to meet any of the team’s managers.

“I’m from Karasuno—or I was!” Hitoka says.

A pregnant black-haired alpha woman to her left smiles at her and places her hand on Hitoka’s shoulder. “It’s okay.”

“Yeah!” Hitoka turns back to everyone else. “My name is Shimizu Hitoka. It used to be Yachi Hitoka, but I took my alpha’s name.” She smiles over to the alpha. “Kiyoko’s doing surrogacy for our pack mates Ryu and Chikara, but one day we’d like to have our own!”

The alpha next to Hitoka goes next and Kenjirou can’t help but notice how beautiful she is. He remembers her from the sidelines and the comments his teammates made about her.

“I think Hitoka mostly said everything,” She says, “I’m Shimizu Kiyoko, also formerly from Karasuno. Hitoka is my mate.” She gives Hitoka’s hand a squeeze, the other resting on her bump. “I’ll be eighteen weeks pregnant on Tuesday.”

Finally, they’re at the last person, an omega man. Kenjirou remembers him as a pinch server from Karasuno. He’s not visibly pregnant and there’s no children near him, so Kenjirou assumes this is the man that’s had the miscarriage.

“I’m Tsukishima Tadashi, formerly Yamaguchi. I went to Karasuno.”

He doesn’t supply much else and Kenjirou assumes that he must still be mourning his loss. Honestly, Kenjirou is surprised Satori wanted to come considering his own loss, but people mourn in different ways and maybe this is both of their ways of coping.

Honestly, meeting everyone isn’t that bad. The group is friendly enough. Kenjirou just can’t believe he’s joined a mommy group. It’s nice to have different perspectives on pregnancy and parenting though. He would like to be as prepared as possible. He thinks the mommy group will be good for that.

* * *

The pack tries to have dinner together at least once a week—every other if that’s not possible. It’s always done at the Ushijima residence, being that Wakatoshi and Satori are the pack leaders. This week is no different. They have a large dining room with a large table to accommodate their growing pack of fifteen. It was something they looked for when they bought their house, knowing their pack would grow from the original eight they started out with.

Satori and Wakatoshi love to make dinner together. Sometimes the pack will come over to help, like tonight. Kenjirou and Eita are among the first to arrive, but Tsutomu and Kanji are already there, helping out in the kitchen. Surprisingly, Kanji is fairly handy in the kitchen too while Tsutomu…is not; he tries though.

Unfortunately, the smell hits Eita as soon as they enter the house and he’s dashing toward the bathroom.

“I’m gonna be sick.”

“Oh are you guys here?” Satori calls, emerging from the kitchen. “Where’d Eita go?”

“Bathroom. Said he was going to be sick,” Kenjirou answers.

He follows after Eita. He opens the door that Eita didn’t have time to lock. He kneels down next to him, rubbing at his back.

“Even _I’m_ over my morning sickness,” Kenjirou quips as Eita retches into the toilet bowl.

“Well I’m glad you have it so easy.”

“It’s still kind of sweet.”

Eita doesn’t have a chance to answer because he’s back to retching into the toilet bowl.

* * *

After they get home, Kenjirou sends his first message to the mommy group.

**Kenjirou 9:35pm**

_Anyone else’s mate have a sympathetic pregnancy?_

**Keiji 9:35pm**

_Kou was the absolute worst. I think he had more symptoms than I did._

**Takahiro 9:36pm**

_Sympathetic pregnancy??_

**Kenjirou 9:36pm**

_It’s when your partner has symptoms too because they’re empathetic about your pain_

**Takahiro 9:36pm**

_Issei never did the bastard_

**Morisuke 9:36pm**

_Lev didn’t either. I’ve never even heard of it_

**Koushi 9:37pm**

_Oh! Daichi had some symptoms! They weren’t too bad but he was such a baby about it!_

**Kenji 9:37pm**

_Nobu had symptoms with Emiko and Shiori but by the time I was pregnant with Mirai I guess he didn’t feel as bad lol_

**Shigeru 9:37pm**

_Ken tries to hide it, but he’s not good at it_

**Kenjirou 9:38pm**

_I think Eita’s having morning sickness worse than I did_

**Satori 9:38pm**

_Yeah our bathroom smells like puke now_

**Kenjirou 9:38pm**

_It does not we sprayed it_

Eita’s not sure where Satori learned about his sympathetic pregnancy—and Satori won’t tell—but he’s not letting him live it down.


	12. Chapter 12

**Thursday, January 19, 2023**

At fourteen weeks pregnant, Kenjirou has officially started showing. He only has a tiny bump, but it’s definitely visible. His looser clothes still fits—such as his scrubs, sweatpants, and hoodies—but he struggles with other clothing like his slacks and jeans.

He frowns as he finds himself unable to button up his jeans. He lets out a huff and collapses back onto the bed. Eita returns from the bathroom to find him sprawled out, half of his body hanging off the bed as he stares at the ceiling.

“Babe?”

Kenjirou doesn’t even move, simply replying, “Yeah?”

“You okay?”

“My pants don’t fit.”

“Ah.”

Eita studies Kenjirou’s form and he can see the way his belly is slightly raised. It makes him kind of excited. Of course Kenjirou has had classic pregnancy symptoms—the most physical before this being his change in scent—but this feels like the most real, tangible proof thus far that their baby is growing inside Kenjirou.

“They’re not much bigger, but maybe you can wear a pair of mine,” Eita suggests.

“I guess.”

The majority of Eita’s pants are made up of skinny jeans. As for casual wear, he has a couple pairs of slacks, but slacks aren’t really Eita’s style. Kenjirou feels bold enough this morning to opt for a pair of skinny jeans. He used to wear Eita’s skinny jeans all the time, just to get a reaction out of him, but he hasn’t done it in a long while. He thinks it’s time to get him worked up.

Eita hands him one of the only pairs that doesn’t have holes. They’re roomier and the button closes so it’s definitely a step up.

“We should probably go get you some new clothes,” Eita suggests, “Not that I don’t love you in mine.” He admires the way the jeans accentuate Kenjirou’s ass and gooses him for good measure. Even though Kenjirou half-expected it, he still jumps. “I just think you’d be more comfortable in your own.”

“I like wearing yours though. They smell like you.”

“Aw, you do love me.”

“I would hope so. We’ve been together for almost ten years.”

“I can’t believe March makes ten years.”

“But how long did we fuck before then?”

“We didn’t fuck. We _made love_.”

“It was fucking. If we _make love_ ,” Kenjirou accentuates the words and rolls his eyes, “It’s now.”

“I still cared about you.” Eita pouts. Kenjirou gives him a skeptical look, which makes Eita stumble on his words, “Sometimes.” Kenjirou still doesn’t look impressed, so Eita presses on, “Okay, _by my third year,_ I started to care about you.”

Kenjirou is satisfied with that answer.

They had made quick fuck buddies. They couldn’t even call it friends with benefits, because they weren’t friends. They shared a dorm Kenjirou’s first year and Eita’s second year. It was standard for Shiratorizawa first and second years to be assigned roommates together while third years would be assigned together.

Eita and Kenjirou were simply teammates and roommates. They were teenagers who shared a room. No one could interrupt them. It was tense halfway through though. Kenjirou was starting to get attention as a setter for the team and it made things tough.

By the next year, it became a little more difficult. Eita shared a dorm with Satori while Kenjirou shared a dorm with Tsutomu, but Satori was usually pretty understanding when Kenjirou came over to “study” and was more than happy to trot on over to Wakatoshi’s room. He always left with a wink and slapped Eita on the back or even the bottom; he knew what was up, even past the sex.

Eita had realized his feelings for Kenjirou early in his third year and loathed every minute of it. Why Kenjirou? He was rude, disrespectful, disagreeable, and just unpleasant to be around. Eita loved the pack that had formed with his team, but there was something grating about Kenjirou. Why would he develop feelings toward him?

Kenjirou didn’t realize he truly felt anything until he was hospitalized for a suppressant overdose immediately following the spring high loss in his second year. He had had some thoughts that maybe he felt something for Eita and had always brushed it off. However, when he woke up in the hospital bed with Eita sitting by his side, finding out that he hadn’t left his side other than when absolutely necessary, Kenjirou realized he did feel something.

They still avoided each other. After all, they didn’t actually _need_ to see each other anymore. Eita’s high school volleyball career was over. He didn’t _have_ to see Kenjirou and Kenjirou avoided Eita any time he did try, unsure how to deal with his feelings.

Finally, on the day Eita graduated, he confronted Kenjirou, wanting to know why he was avoiding him. It felt like their last chance. Kenjirou decided to let it all out, let Eita know that he cared about him. Eita laughed and Kenjirou punched him in the arm.

_“Asshole! I pour my heart out to you and all you do is laugh?”_

_“No,”_ Eita settled his laughter, _“You don’t understand; I feel the same way. I actually wanted to ask you to court me.”_

Kenjirou’s face scrunched up in annoyance. _“Took you long enough.”_

_“_ You _could’ve asked_ me _.”_

_“_ You’re _the alpha.”_

_“Brat.”_

Kenjirou crossed his arms across his chest. _“If I’m so bad, why are we courting?”_

Eita cocked an eyebrow. _“So that’s a yes?”_

Kenjirou’s expression relaxed and he shrugged, looking away. _“Unless Ushijima-san offers.”_ His sarcasm sounded exactly the same as his normal voice.

_“You’re definitely a brat.”_

_“I’m_ your _brat though,”_ Kenjirou responded, pulling Eita forward by the tie and kissing him deeply.

Kenjirou pulls out one of his favorite long sleeved T-shirts. He sets it on the bed, pulling it off the hanger. Eita perches on the edge of the bed, watching as Kenjirou dresses. Kenjirou frowns when it fits a little too snuggly around his waist.

“You can wear one of my T-shirts or hoodies or something,” Eita offers.

Kenjirou considers it. He likes the allure of wearing Eita’s clothes. Wearing his scent is also tempting. Everyone gets to know who his alpha is and that Eita belongs to him. Of course, he’s always allowed the option—Eita loves when Kenjirou wears his clothes, after all—he’s just feeling extra clingy lately, so he’s actually considering it, despite the drastic differences in their tastes of fashion.

“Yeah, I might,” Kenjirou answers.

Kenjirou hangs the shirt back up and returns both pieces to the closet. Eita owns a variety of vests and leather jackets, among other punk clothing, but Kenjirou’s not brave enough to wear most of them. He pulls out something more his style, which is one of Eita’s T-shirts sporting his band’s logo and a zipped hoodie.

“You ready?” Eita asks once Kenjirou has gotten dressed.

“Yeah.”

Kenjirou finds that his winter coats still fit for now.

“Do you think I should get another coat?” Kenjirou asks as he slips his black duffle on at the door.

“Hmm,” Eita hums, zipping up his own gray canvas parka, “Maybe? We can get you one, or two, doesn’t really matter. However many you want.”

Kenjirou considers it. One is definitely enough. At most, he probably only needs a coat for another six weeks this year, which would place him around twenty weeks pregnant. He’s not sure how big his belly will be at that point. He’s researched it, of course, and some of the mommy group has shared their own belly pictures—Takahiro tries to scare Shigeru into thinking he’s having twins this time whenever he can—but it varies so wildly from person to person that he can only guess.

“I could always leave it undone,” Kenjirou muses.

Eita looks up from where he’s tying his black Docs. “Babe, don’t be afraid to get new clothes. It’s not a problem.”

“It’s kind of daunting.” Kenjirou shoves his feet into his sneakers. He doesn’t bother to untie them, leaving them tied from when he pulled them off last time.

Eita stands up, wrapping an arm around Kenjirou’s shoulder and pulling him close. “You’re not worried about your weight, are you? It’s okay if you are.”

“It’s just a lot to take in. Getting new clothes and acknowledging I’m getting bigger just makes it feel real.”

“Are you having doubts?” Eita’s expression falls.

Kenjirou shakes his head. “No, of course not.” He leans into Eita, wrapping his arms around Eita’s torso. “We’ve both wanted this for years. I haven’t changed my mind. It’s just…weird.”

Eita places a kiss against Kenjirou’s head. “I guess it doesn’t feel as real for me since it’s not my body.”

* * *

“Can we stop by Satori’s bakery?” Kenjirou asks as they leave the restaurant where they had lunch. There’s a hint of a blush on his face.

“Yeah, of course,” Eita replies, “You’re not usually big on sweets though.” A devious smirk forms as he puts the pieces together. “Are you having a pregnancy craving?”

“Shut up.”

Eita laughs. He kisses Kenjirou’s temple and gives his hand a squeeze. “Don’t be embarrassed, babe, you’re allowed to eat whatever you want.”

“Good, because I want some kind of chocolate.”

Kenjirou knows he has to watch how much he eats though. He’s past the point of miscarriage being too big of a concern, but caffeine still isn’t good. Luckily, there’s not nearly as much in sweets as there is coffee or energy drinks.

Satori’s not up front when they come in, but the cashier recognizes them as his pack mates and calls for him. He emerges from the back with a wide smile on his face. He seems surprised to see them though.

“I don’t see you two here often.”

Eita smiles at him. “Kenjirou’s having a pregnancy craving.”

Kenjirou gives him a light slap to the arm. “Don’t announce that.”

For a second, it’s obvious that Satori feels tense. His expressions falters for a moment, but he quickly bounces back. “Yeah! Of course! Have something in mind?”

Kenjirou’s face is burning at this point. “I don’t know. I just want something sweet.”

“I have plenty of that.”

“You said chocolate, right, baby?” Eita asks, wrapping an arm around Kenjirou and pulling him close.

“Oh! I just pulled out some eclairs! Does that sound good?”

Kenjirou thinks about it for a second and nods. “Sounds good.”

“Great! Be right back!” Satori disappears into the back.

They settle into one of the booths, removing their coats and placing them to the side. Satori calls to his staff that he’s taking a break so that he can join them. He grins as he places down a couple of trays with various sweets.

“I brought some truffle cake too. It’s chocolate. It’s pretty fresh. Oh! And some cupcakes and macarons! I thought you might want some choices.”

“That’s a lot.” Still, Kenjirou feels his mouth water. Eita smirks at him knowingly. “Shut up, Eita.”

“I haven’t said anything!” Eita holds his hands up in defense.

“You were definitely giving him a look,” Satori agrees, slipping into the booth across from them.

“Oh, come on.”

Kenjirou reaches for a cupcake, unwrapping it. He feels in complete and total bliss when he bites into it. He’s not usually one for sweets, but Satori’s confections have always been an exception, and right now, he can’t imagine anything tasting better.

Unconsciously, Kenjirou finds his free hand resting against his newfound bump, giving a little stroke.

Eita and Satori both have their mouths full, but they still look amused. Kenjirou swallows his last bite and cocks an eyebrow as he glances between them. “What?” He groans.

“You have a bump!” Satori exclaims, spitting little chunks of food everywhere, “I thought you looked fat!”

“Thanks,” Kenjirou replies sarcastically.

Eita swallows hard, making sure he doesn’t talk with anything in his mouth. “He’s not fat. He’s pregnant,” He addresses Satori’s comment with a glare before turning to his mate, “You have a hand on your bump though. That’s adorable.”

Kenjirou blinks, looking down. Of course, after Eita pointed it out, he felt it, but he had to see it for himself. He quickly removes his hand, a blush on his face.

“It’s not that big of a deal,” Kenjirou murmurs.

“It’s cute!” Satori insists.

“You just said I was fat.” Kenjirou reaches for a piece of cake next.

“You can still be cute.”

They visit with Satori until he’s needed back in the kitchen. They try to pay him, but he brushes them off, insisting that’s not necessary.

“That’s bad business practice,” Kenjirou quips.

“It’s going to be worse business practice when I send you home with some stuff,” Satori replies, shoving a bag into his hands.

“Satori,” Eita begins to argue, but Satori hushes him with a finger to Eita’s lips.

“It’s fine!”

They can’t deny Satori no matter how much they try to argue and end up going home with _two_ big bags with boxes of sweets.

“We’re never going to be able to eat all of this,” Kenjirou mumbles when they make their way back to the car.

“He just wants to take care of everyone,” Eita replies as he slips behind the wheel.

Kenjirou slips the bags into the back seat and comes back around to the passenger seat.

“Want to get new clothes?” Eita offers, “There’s not anything we have to do today and I know you’d be comfortable wearing something of your own.”

Kenjirou leans his head back against the headrest. “I like wearing your clothes though.” He turns to Eita. “They smell like you.”

“I like you wearing them too, but you’re going to outgrow them. I can scent new clothes for you.”

“I guess.”

They end up at a maternity clothing store and Kenjirou sighs as he sifts through the selections.

“Nothing you like?” Eita frowns.

“I don’t know. Some of these are okay I guess, but how do I know how what’s going to fit?”

An employee comes over. She smiles and asks, “Is there anything I can help you with?”

“I’m not sure about sizing,” Kenjirou admits.

“Oh! Typically, you’ll be the same size you were pre-pregnancy. So if you were a medium before, you’re still a medium now. If you’re still unsure, we have some fake bellies to estimate what you might need.”

“Thank you,” Eita thanks the employee.

“Of course! Let me know if you need anything else.”

“I guess I’ll just try some things and see what works,” Kenjirou says pulling off a couple T-shirts and hoodies along with a few pairs of jeans in various sizes.

They make their way to a changing room. Eita goes in with Kenjirou. The first items Kenjirou picked up for the meantime seem to fit well enough and he hangs them on one of the hooks for the keep pile. Next comes to trying on the fake belly. He doesn’t try anything too advanced, only one that’s supposed to be around five months or so, but Eita still helps him with it.

“You look adorable,” Eita says when Kenjirou slips a top over the belly.

Kenjirou hums, turning sideways. His hands grace the bump, smoothing down the shirt. He wonders how the baby’s going to feel at this size.

“I bet my back is going to hurt like a bitch when the baby is actually this size,” Kenjirou mutters.

“I’ll give you massages.” Eita steps forward and places his hands on the fake belly. He rests his forehead against Kenjirou’s. “I can’t wait to see the way you grow, the way our baby grows.”

“I’m gonna be fat, you know.”

“No you’re not. You’re going to be so gorgeous. It’s so sexy to me that you’re growing our baby.”

Kenjirou brings his arms around Eita’s neck and leans up for a kiss. “I hope you still think that way five months from now when I’m huge.”

“I absolutely will.”

Kenjirou picks out enough clothes for now that he’s comfortable with, including two new coats. They stop by a scrubs store to pick up a couple pairs of maternity scrubs as well. Kenjirou thinks maybe it’s not so daunting after all.


	13. Chapter 13

**Monday, January 23, 2023**

Kenjirou’s curled up with Eita on the couch, leaning against him as Eita plays guitar, testing out new music. His phone goes off and he reaches forward to pick it up from the kotatsu. He sees he’s gotten a text message from Kenma in the group chat for the mommy group.

**Kenma 2:21pm**

_They found out Friday there’s no heartbeat_

**Kenma 2:21pm**

_I miscarried_

Kenjirou immediately feels tears brought to his eyes and his hand goes to his belly. Eita catches onto the behavior immediately, setting his guitar to the side to wrap his arms around Kenjirou.

“Ken, what’s wrong?”

“Kenma miscarried.”

Eita’s taken aback. He’s not sure why this affects Kenjirou so much. It’s sad, sure, but he didn’t even cry whenever Satori miscarried, any of the three times. He barely knows Kenma.

“Are you okay?”

“It’s my hormones,” Kenjirou answers, wiping at his eyes, “I guess I’m also thinking again about what if it happened to our baby. I hate having all of these mood swings.”

* * *

**Saturday, February 11, 2023**

**Takanobu 11:34am**

**_ Attachment _ **

“That’s definitely an announcement,” Eita says when he gets the message in the pack group chat.

Eita and Kenjirou are still lounging around in bed. Kenjirou had work for the last three days in a row and he’s definitely tired. He’s feeling better at seventeen weeks pregnant—he’s in his second trimester now—but with work, it can take a toll on him. They got out of bed long enough to have breakfast, only to crawl back into it to cuddle. Kenjirou is still feeling clingy and being how tired he is, it just made sense.

Kenjirou hasn’t bothered with his own phone, instead he peers at Eita’s from where he has his head rested on Eita’s chest. “He looks like Emiko.”

Takanobu has sent a picture of his and Kenji’s new baby. That’s the only thing in the message: a simple picture of the baby swaddled in a hospital bassinet.

The congratulations pour in and Takanobu gives a simple thanks, but it’s a dull conversation until Kenji can add to it later.

**Kenji 4:45pm**

_Nobu didn’t even give you his name?_

**Taichi 4:45pm**

_We didn’t think he had one_

**Kenji 4:46pm**

_Smart ass_

**Kenji 4:46pm**

**_ Attachment _ **

**__ **

Kenji sends another picture of the baby.

**__ **

**Kenji 4:47pm**

_His name is Hibiki. He was born 10:23 this morning. Sorry it took so long. I wanted to rest and we wanted the girls to meet him first_

**Tsutomu 4:47pm**

_Don’t worry about! How are you doing?_

**Satori 4:47pm**

_When do we get to meet him???_

**Kenji 4:47pm**

_Tired lol but I’m ready if you want to come_

“Want to go visit Kenji and the new baby?” Eita asks.

He and Kenjirou have gotten out of bed at this point and have moved to the couch to watch movies. Eita’s occasionally been working on lyrics and bouncing them off of Kenjirou, but neither have done much. It’s very much been a lazy day.

“That’s fine.”

They finally get dressed and head to the hospital. It doesn’t take long to find Kenji’s room, but Satori, Wakatoshi, Kanji, and Tsutomu are already there. Kenjirou and Eita can hear their pack from down the hall.

“Hey!” Kenji greets when they walk through the door. He’s still laid up in bed and Takanobu is perched on the bed’s edge near his legs. The rest of their pack is cooing over Hibiki who is settled in Satori’s arms.

Eita sets the gift bag they brought onto the counter with everyone else’s. Kenjirou goes to peer over Satori’s shoulder.

Hibiki is a pretty big baby. If Kenjirou had to guess, he would estimate around four and a half kilograms. He’s a chunky little guy. He’s got Takanobu’s white hair and Kenji’s chocolate brown eyes. It looks like he could have Takanobu’s nose and Kenji’s lips, but it’s still a little hard to tell.

“He’s big,” Kenjirou comments.

“You’re telling me,” Kenji says, “But all four of them have been over four kilos.”

Kenjirou’s eyes widen.

“You want to hold him?” Kenji asks, “Everyone else has been hogging him, you might as well get your turn.”

“It’s good practice,” Eita says as he shuffles up beside Kenjirou.

Satori reluctantly lets go of Hibiki to pass him to Kenjirou and he is, in fact, a heavy baby. Kenjirou feels his arms drop a little when Hibiki is deposited into them. Kenji laughs as he watches.

Kenjirou feels at ease. He gets the hang of holding him immediately. He hasn’t really held a baby like this since Mirai was born. Takanobu has made his way over to help adjust Kenjirou’s hands, but it doesn’t take much instruction to make sure that Hibiki is well supported. Kenjirou feels like it’s going to feel more natural holding his own baby. Everything is going great until Hibiki starts crying.

“Did you scare him?” Taichi asks as he walks through the door.

“No,” Kenjirou defends himself, walking over to the bed to give Hibiki back to his mother. Kenji takes him into his arms, getting ready to chestfeed him.

Hibiki is passed around the pack as they filter in. The room is definitely crowded. Kenjirou can’t help but to admire how natural Eita seems holding the baby. He wonders what he’ll look like holding their own.

Finally, Kenjirou is given another chance and he gladly takes it. He hides his excitement though. There doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with Hibiki when he starts to whine and cry. His diaper doesn’t need changed; he doesn’t need fed; there’s nothing obviously wrong. Kenjirou can’t figure out why he’s crying just because he’s been placed into his arms. Disappointed, he passes the baby back to Takanobu, where Hibiki immediately calms down.

“I don’t think he liked me,” Kenjirou says as he and Eita leave.

“He’s probably just tired, babe. He’s only a few hours old. Who knows why he was crying.”

“What if our baby doesn’t like me?”

Eita squeezes Kenjirou’s hand. “I highly doubt that. You’re going to be their mother. They’re going to love you more than anything.”

Kenjirou sighs, “I hope so.”

Kenjirou cries on the way home. His eyes are glossy as tears slip down his cheeks. Eita glances away from the road to give him a look of concern.

“Babe, is everything okay?” Eita asks hesitantly. He reaches out to take Kenjirou’s hand into his own, one hand still on the wheel.

“What if our baby doesn’t like me?”

“You’re still worried?”

“Of course I’m still worried.”

Eita kisses Kenjirou’s knuckles. “They’re going to love you more than anything. You’re their mom,” He reminds Kenjirou again.

Kenjirou still doesn’t feel convinced.

“Hibiki was just born,” Eita continues, “The girls all love you. Mako loves you. Airi loves you. Kids like you. I promise.”

Kenjirou calms down enough by the time they get home, but Eita still feels weird about it. He’s used to Kenjirou having sass, but what he’s not used to is the waterworks that have accompanied Kenjirou’s pregnancy. He’s dealt with Kenjirou’s anxiety attacks and can handle that type of crying, but this crying is new. Eita knows that mood swings are a classic symptom of pregnancy and he’s done his best to prepare for that; he’s just expected to be snapped at more so than having Kenjirou crying over so many things.

He has a support group of partners going through or have been through the same thing though.

**Eita 8:42pm**

_Did anyone else’s mates have mood swings different than expected?_

**Aran 8:42pm**

_It was actually kind of scary. Shinsuke has never snapped at me before_

**Hitoka 8:43pm**

_Kiyoko’s been an absolute angel_ _😇_

**Kentarou 8:43pm**

_Shigeru’s a nightmare. He’s scary enough not pregnant but he’s angrier than ever before he breaks down crying_

**Kei 8:43pm**

_Would you like me to tell him you said that?_

**Kentarou 8:43pm**

_Don’t you fucking dare_

**Lev 8:43pm**

_Mori was scarier than usual too :(_

**Rintarou 8:44pm**

_I’m not looking forward to that with Osamu_

**Issei 8:44pm**

_Good luck lmao hiro cried over everything_

**Eita 8:44pm**

_Kenjirou is too! I’ve never known him to cry like this_

**Daichi 8:44pm**

_Koushi switched between being angry and crying to being angry again. It’s terrifying._

**Eita 8:45pm**

_What should I do about it to help him?_

**Daichi 8:45pm**

_Just support him however you can._

* * *

**Monday, February 13, 2023**

Kenjirou has officially hit eighteen weeks and his baby bump is fairly noticeable. Eita adores it. However, with a bigger bump, comes some challenges.

They’re getting ready to go out for lunch when Eita emerges from the bathroom to find Kenjirou tugging at a T-shirt, not quite able to make it go over the swell of his belly. Eita’s heart breaks when he hears a sniffle and he can see how watery Kenjirou’s eyes look. Oh no, not again.

He crosses the room and wraps his arms around Kenjirou. Kenjirou returns the gesture, sniffling into Eita’s shoulder.

“What’s wrong, babe?” Eita runs his hand up and down Kenjirou’s back.

“This is the biggest shirt you own.”

“We got you maternity clothes. They should fit.”

“They’re not yours though,” Kenjirou sniffles some more before mumbling, “My hormones are a mess right now.”

“No, it’s okay. What if I scented something for you? I could even try to wear some stuff around the house so my scent lingers longer.”

Kenjirou nods. Eita places a kiss against the top of his head. “It’s going to be okay, I promise,” Eita says, “We’ll get through it together.”

“We always do.”


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a warning, Shirabu has a few body image issues in this chapter regarding stretch marks. There’s nothing wrong with having them and you should still feel gorgeous if you do have them! I have them from puberty. But it’s just daunting when it first happens and that’s what I tried to capture in this chapter. I thought I had better warn ahead of time though.

** Wednesday, February 15, 2023 **

Kenjirou first notices it by his belly being itchy around eighteen weeks. He’s at work and can’t fight off the itch. It definitely brings attention to the still small bump that’s started to form. His coworkers smile when they notice, thinking he’s trying to show it off underneath his baggy scrubs. He shoots them glares.

When he finally gets home and strips himself of his clothing, he finally notices the tiny indents in his skin. There’s little pink lines running across his belly. He knew this was probably bound to happen.

After he gets out of the shower, he sends a message in the group chat for the mommy group.

** Kenjirou 7:58pm **

_What should I do about stretch marks? They’re kinda ugly_

** Satori 7:58pm **

_stretch marks???_

** Kenjirou 7:59pm **

_Yeah it’s what happens when your skin stretches. That’s why they’re called STRETCH marks_

** Koushi 7:59pm **

_I was never able to get rid of mine_

** Satori 8:00pm **

_sounds gross_

** Kiyoko 8:00pm **

_I think they’re a nice reminder of what your body can do._

** Shinsuke 8:00pm **

_I agree._

** Koushi 8:00pm **

_They are!! I don’t mind them!!_

** Keiji 8:01pm **

_Make sure to moisturize your belly and thighs. It helps make them less obvious_

** Kenjirou 8:02pm **

_Is there something specific I should use?_

** Shinsuke 8:03pm **

_I’ve found that cocoa butter helps a lot. Also, don’t take hot showers if they itch. It dries your skin out. Stretch marks are nothing to be ashamed of; you’re bringing a beautiful baby into the world._

** Morisuke 8:04pm **

_Easy for you to say your stretch marks aren’t even noticeable anymore_

**Kenji 8:04pm**

_Lucky bastard_

**Shigeru 8:05pm**

_Shinsuke never got acne either_

**Takahiro 8:05pm**

_god acne was the fucking worst my whole face was broken out_

**Takahiro 8:05pm**

**_ Sent an attachment _ **

Takahiro sends some awful meme that Kenjirou will never understand. It’s not an unusual occurrence.

**Kiyoko 8:06pm**

_Didn’t you say you never got acne, Koushi?_

**Koushi 8:07pm**

_Yeah! None of my pregnancies!_

**Morisuke 8:07pm**

_Lucky bastard_

**Keiji 8:08pm**

_You really just need to use a cleanser. Here Kenjirou, this was my favorite. I’d use it before you break out_

**Keiji 8:09pm**

**_ Link _ **

**Shinsuke 8:10pm**

_Here’s my favorite cocoa butter if you’re interested. It should help._

**Shinsuke 8:10pm**

**_ Link _ **

**Kenjirou 8:11pm**

_Thanks I’ll check them out_

**Shinsuke 8:11pm**

_Let me know if you need any more advice. I promise you it’s a wonderful experience._

**Kenji 8:12pm**

_That’s because your pregnancies have been so easy_

**Kenjirou 8:12pm**

_You still did it four times_

**Kenji 8:13pm**

_That’s because Nobu’s knot is just sooooo good. If you knew how big it is you’d be knocked up four times too_

**Shigeru 8:14pm**

_Shouldn’t it be about having your kids?_

**Kenji 8:14pm**

_You say that as if you didn’t have your own accident baby. I love my kids too. Me and Nobu make the cutest ones!_

**Shigeru 8:15pm**

_Akio wasn’t an accident…he just wasn’t planned. Plus Hiro has TWO accident babies_

**Takahiro 8:15pm**

_i cant even deny that they’re accidents love em tho_

**Kenji 8:16pm**

_Yeah anyway my cute kids. You guys haven’t seen that many photos of Hibiki yet_

**Kenji 8:16pm**

**_ Sent an attachment _ **

**Kenji 8:16pm**

**_ Sent an attachment _ **

**Kenji 8:17pm**

**_ Sent an attachment _ **

Kenji proceeds to send a photo of his daughters meeting newborn Hibiki in the hospital, among other photos of the new baby. In one, Emiko and Shiori are absolutely beaming and even Mirai seems interested to meet her little brother. Kenji has shown similar, but these are definitely the cutest ones by far. Everyone proceeds to gush over Hibiki. He is pretty cute after all.

“Hey, you okay?”

Kenjirou jolts as Eita enters the bathroom. He nods, but bites his lip. He’s suddenly very aware he’s spent the last twenty minutes sitting on the toilet, distracted by his phone.

“I just wanted to let you know dinner’s done,” Eita says before smirking, “But if you’re busy.”

“Asshole.”

“Hey I get distracted too.” Eita turns to leave. “Don’t take too long or dinner will get cold.”

“Yeah, I’m coming.”

Kenjirou finishes up and slips on his pajamas. His hair is still wet, but he decides he can deal with it after dinner. He continues to scratch at his belly as he eats.

“You doing okay?” Eita asks, cocking an eyebrow.

Kenjirou pouts. “My skin is itchy. I started getting stretch marks.”

“Aw, babe,” Eita croons, “You don’t have to be ashamed.”

“Did I say I’m ashamed?” Kenjirou counters, a bit of venom in his voice. Still, he stares down at his belly a little sadly. “I’m not happy with them though. I feel kind of,” He pauses, knowing that Eita’s not going to like his answer, “I feel gross.”

Eita sits his chopsticks down and takes hold of Kenjirou’s hand. He runs his thumb against the back. “Your body’s gonna change, but you’re making our baby. You’re doing something so amazing. I think they’re like my tattoos. They have a meaning behind them; they’re what you went through to bring our baby into the world.”

“That’s easy for you to say. It’s not your body.”

“It’s not, but I don’t think it detracts from your appearance. You’re just as beautiful as the day I met you. A little different, but you’re still you.”

Kenjirou sighs, “I want to be comfortable with myself. I know _you’re_ going to find me attractive.”

“Ken, do you know how common it is to get stretch marks? Lots of people have them. I’ve had them from puberty. I know for a fact that Wakatoshi has them from muscle growth. They fade over time. You have them for a good reason. You’re making a safe home for our baby.”

Kenjirou doesn’t say anything, but gives Eita’s hand a squeeze. He’s put his chopsticks down to rub at his belly. His eyes widen a little when he _swears_ he might have felt something move. He can’t be sure though.

“Ken?”

“I don’t know for sure, but the baby might have moved.”

Eita jumps from his seat, kneeling by Kenjirou. “Can I feel?”

“Of course.”

Eita frowns when he doesn’t feel anything.

“Like I said,” Kenjirou continues, “I’m not sure. They might not even be strong enough for you to feel.” He runs his fingers through Eita’s hair. “You’ll feel soon enough. There’s going to be a time when they won’t stop kicking.”

“Yeah, you’re right I guess.”

Kenjirou orders the products Keiji and Shinsuke recommended. Luckily, they’re available for overnight online so it doesn’t take long to get them.

“What are these?” Eita asks as he looks at the containers skeptically. He brings the package into the living room after they arrive.

“Did you know your face can break out during pregnancy?” Kenjirou responds, looking away from his tablet. He’s curled up on the couch against the armrest underneath a blanket. “Keiji recommended something to prevent acne and Shinsuke told me cocoa butter helps with stretch marks. I’m going to try putting it on my thighs and ass too before I gain any weight there.”

Eita looks between the packages and Kenjirou before hesitantly asking, “Can I put it on?” Kenjirou raises an eyebrow. “On you I mean.”

“I guess.” Kenjirou sits his iPad onto the kotatsu and tosses the blanket to the side before standing up. “Let’s do this.”

“What? Right now?” Eita looks confused.

“I’m uncomfortable, Eita. I’d like to _stop_ being uncomfortable.”

Eita makes his way into the living room as Kenjirou shimmies off his sweatpants. Eita works on opening the cocoa butter while Kenjirou strips himself of his T-shirt—Eita’s worn this one around the house for him, so it smells just like him. He’s left in only his underwear. Luckily, the curtains looking out to the streets are closed.

“Are you going to do something or just stare all day?” Kenjirou asks when Eita finds himself looking a little too long.

“Oh, um.” Eita feels his cheeks heat up.

“It’s fine. Don’t be embarrassed. You’ve seen me naked how many times now?”

“Yeah, it’s been a lot.”

Eita scoops a little bit of the cocoa butter into his hands and Kenjirou leans back into the couch, giving Eita better access to the entirety of his belly. Eita works the lotion into the taut skin and Kenjirou immediately feels relief.

“Keiji was right about keeping it moist.”

“So it feels good?” Eita asks, looking up from his work.

“Yeah, definitely.”

Eita goes on to work the cream into Kenjirou’s thighs and bottom, which don’t have stretch marks as of yet, but it doesn’t hurt to start moisturizing them now. Kenjirou laces his fingers through Eita’s hair.

Eita eyes Kenjirou’s chest. It’s grown a little, not a huge amount. Male omegas chests grow only a little—to around an A-cup or so—during pregnancy to have enough milk for their babies, only to shrink back in size by the time the babies are weaned. He notices the little scars lining Kenjirou’s chest.

“What?” Kenjirou finally snaps.

Eita’s sitting on his knees across from him on the couch, just staring at Kenjirou’s chest. “You have stretch marks on your chest.”

Kenjirou glances down. “Yeah?”

“Should we put lotion there?”

Kenjirou shrugs. “Probably.”

Eita nods, dipping his hands back into the cocoa butter jar. Carefully, he reaches for one side of Kenjirou’s chest. Kenjirou tenses a little at the touch, still sensitive. Eita kneads the lotion into Kenjirou’s skin and without warning, his hand feels wet. Both are taken aback.

“Why is—“

“It’s called colostrum,” Kenjirou answers. His face is burning. “It happens sometimes. It’s possible to,” He pauses, “leak.”

“Is that safe?”

“It’s not _not_ safe.”

“Are you going to have enough when the baby’s born?”

Eita still awkwardly has Kenjirou’s chest cupped in his hand. Kenjirou pries his fingers off.

“My body’s going to make more.”

“Should we continue?”

Kenjirou sighs, “I guess. Just be careful with the other side.”

The other side leaks too. Kenjirou’s face is still burning red and he tears Eita’s hand off of his chest.

“That’s enough,” Kenjirou declares, reaching for his shirt.

“Are you embarrassed?” Eita frowns, handing it to him.

Kenjirou is quick to throw his T-shirt over his head and slip his arms through the holes. He sniffs at the neckline, savoring Eita’s scent that still lingers.

“A little,” He admits, “I don’t think I’ll be embarrassed to chestfeed, but until the baby comes, I don’t know how I feel about it.”

“You don’t have to be embarrassed, babe, it’s natural.”

“I _know_ it’s natural, but my body is doing some weird things right now.” He crosses his arms protectively across his chest. He winces at the contact. “You’d feel awkward too.”

Eita rubs the excess cocoa butter onto his jeans and leans forward, settling his hands on Kenjirou’s shoulders as he places a kiss against his forehead. “I’m sorry I reacted the way I did.”

Kenjirou softens a little, resting his hands over Eita’s. “It’s okay I guess. I was surprised too.”

“Please don’t be embarrassed about it around me. I’ve been here ten years. Nothing about you is going to turn me away at this point.”

“I love you, Eita.”

“I love you, too.”


	15. Chapter 15

~~~~**Saturday, February 25, 2023**

“You’re finding out the sex on Monday, right?”

Kenjirou hits twenty weeks on Monday. It will be the halfway point for his pregnancy. At his last appointment, they were informed they should be able to tell the baby’s sex by his twenty week ultrasound. It’s something he and Eita have discussed off and on since then, whether they want to know or not.

Satori looks to Eita and Kenjirou with wide eyes. They exchange glances before turning back to him.

“Yeah?”

They’re out for dinner with a few members of the pack to celebrate Wakatoshi’s last game of the season. The Schweiden Adlers had won of course. Satori took a day off from the bakery to support his mate at the game. Kenjirou had the day off work and Eita made himself free today too. Tsutomu had finished with the Green Rockets a couple weeks ago and didn’t have any other promotional work needing to be done.

“What do you hope it’s going to be?” Tsutomu pipes up from his place next to Satori.

“A baby,” Kenjirou deadpans.

“It doesn’t really matter,” Eita answers a little more seriously, “Koushi and Shinsuke swear it’s going to be a boy though, something about the way Kenjirou’s carrying. Koushi says that’s how he looked with his sons and Shinsuke says that’s what he looked like earlier in this pregnancy.”

“It’s bullshit. There’s no medical backing to it. Koushi and I are built similar and Shinsuke’s still fit where he’s going to be carrying higher. We should know tomorrow, but we’ll only know for sure when the baby’s born in July.”

“I hope that they are healthy whatever they are,” Wakatoshi says before shoving another bite into his mouth. He’s seated on the other side of Satori.

“Thank—“

Eita’s interrupted by Satori waving his hand.

“Yeah, that’s great and all, but we should throw a gender reveal party.”

“A what?” Kenjirou asks.

“Oh no,” Eita groans, “I think I’ve heard of those. They’re popular in America and always end up in disaster. I think someone died at one a while ago.”

“Dear god,” Kenjirou murmurs, appearing disgusted.

“I know! They sound like fun, right!” Satori insists. He has his palms pressed against the table as he rises up and leans over the table a little more than necessary.

“Weren’t gender reveal cakes popular here a few years ago?” Kenjirou asks.

“Yeah! I want to make one!”

Kenjirou shakes his head. “I’ll take the cake, but we’ll find out at the scan.”

Kenjirou’s still craving Satori’s sweets, but he’s not up for a party to celebrate his baby’s genitals.

Satori pouts. He settles back into his seat. “It would be a fun way to announce to the pack and we could have games and take bets. I promise it would be fun!”

“No.” “Absolutely not.” Kenjirou and Eita speak at the same time.

“It sounds like fun!” Tsutomu agrees.

Kenjirou narrows his eyes onto Tsutomu and Satori, pointing his chopsticks at them. “When _you_ have a baby, _you_ can have a gender reveal party. Eita and I don’t want one.”

It’s tense. Satori seems sort of shaken up. He stands up, excusing himself to retreat to the restroom. Kenjirou closes his eyes and lets out a breath from pursed lips.

“He’s distressed,” Wakatoshi says, “I should check on him.” He follows after his mate.

This leaves Kenjirou, Eita, and Tsutomu alone.

“He’s being dramatic,” Kenjirou groans, going back to eating.

“I don’t think it’s about us,” Eita says, “He was due a couple weeks before us.”

_Right_. Satori miscarried for a _third_ time only two and a half months ago. That was a major concern when they found out about the pregnancy. Kenjirou’s been so wrapped up in his own pregnancy that Satori and Wakatoshi’s struggle with pregnancy and parenthood has become a thing of the past.

Tsutomu’s eyes dart between the couple before finally settling on Kenjirou. “You should apologize, Kenjirou.”

“No shit.”

Eita rubs at Kenjirou’s back. “He was being kind of strong, but it has to be a sore subject.”

Eita won’t tell Kenjirou he was right in his wording, but he also doesn’t think he was wrong for standing his ground. He hates when things get shaky between his mate and his best friend.

“It’s not fair,” Tsutomu says through a mouthful of food, “They’d be really great parents. They don’t deserve to be hurt like this.”

Kenjirou grimaces when food flies from Tsutomu’s mouth as he talks. “Swallow first, brat.”

“That’s what Kanji says too.”

“I’m sure things will work out,” Eita says, ignoring the insinuation there. He stares down at his plate, appetite suddenly gone, “There’s no way they’re not meant to be parents.”

Kenjirou jolts a little and his hand goes to his belly. Eita’s eyes widen in worry. He pulls Kenjirou closer and brings him so close that their chairs are almost touching.

“Are you okay?”

Kenjirou looks a little spacey, but ultimately nods. “Yeah. I think the baby might have moved again. I still don’t know.”

“Can I feel?” Eita asks.

“You don’t have to ask.” He takes Eita’s hand into his, placing it onto the area he thinks he felt movement.

Eita frowns. “I don’t feel anything.”

“Press a little,” Kenjirou directs, adding slight pressure to Eita’s palm.

“I don’t want to hurt—oh.”

“You feel it?”

“No.”

“I want to feel!” Tsutomu says, standing so quickly from his own seat he almost knocks it over. He trots over next to Kenjirou, taking Wakatoshi’s chair and scoots it close with a screech. A few people look their way at the commotion. He hovers his hands over Kenjirou’s belly hesitantly, waiting for his permission.

Kenjirou sighs, “There’s obviously nothing to feel.”

Still, he lets Tsutomu try. Eita removes his own hand to make way for Tsutomu’s.

“I think I feel them!” Tsutomu insists.

“You do not,” Eita replies.

“Yeah, you definitely don’t,” Kenjirou agrees.

“Is everything alright?”

They jump to find that the other two members of their pack have returned. Wakatoshi looks as stoic as ever; meanwhile Satori’s eyes are a little red and puffy.

“The baby moved!” Tsutomu explains.

Satori forces a smile and sits back down. It’s unsettling. Kenjirou assumed that Satori would have been the most excited, so to find him so disinterested makes him uneasy.

Wakatoshi’s cheeks are dusted a light pink when he asks, “Can I feel?”

Eita’s jaw drops and Kenjirou stiffens as they’re both caught off guard.

“I’m not sure if you’re going to feel anything,” Kenjirou says, “But you can try.”

Wakatoshi nods. Tsutomu returns to his own seat and Wakatoshi sits down. Kenjirou takes his hand, placing it on his belly and pressing down a little. Eita opens his mouth to argue the motion, but Kenjirou shoots him a glare that insists he’s fine. Surprisingly, there’s a tiny shift. Kenjirou lets out a small gasp. He doesn’t think it’s a kick, but it’s definitely a _movement_.

“Did they move?” Eita asks.

“Yeah.” Kenjirou feels his eyes burn and he tries to push the tears back.

“That’s an interesting feeling.” Wakatoshi stares at Kenjirou’s bump in awe.

“You’re telling me.”

“Okay, move,” Eita says, shooing Wakatoshi’s hands away, “I want to feel.”

Wakatoshi nods, settling back upright and pushing his chair back to its original position. Eita pouts when he can’t feel anything. Tsutomu laughs. Satori stares down at his plate, pushing his food around with his chopsticks, seemingly trying to look anywhere but at Kenjirou.

“I’m their dad,” Eita whines.

Kenjirou offers him a small smile, eyes still glossy. He brushes a hand against Eita’s cheek. “You’ll feel. I promise. You’ll feel more than anyone else,” He rolls his eyes before saying, “Other than me, of course.”

“What’s it feel like?” Tsutomu chirps.

“Gas,” Kenjirou answers bluntly, turning away from Eita, “That’s why it’s so hard to distinguish.”

“I want to feel.”

The table goes quiet as everyone looks to Satori.

“Well come here,” Kenjirou says.

Satori nods. He pushes his chair out and there’s an eerie feeling as he makes his way over. He kneels down next to Kenjirou’s chair—wedged between his and Wakatoshi’s—and Kenjirou takes his hand, placing it on his belly. He presses lightly and Eita tries to argue again.

“It’s fine, Eita,” Kenjirou groans.

There’s a tiny shift. Kenjirou’s surprised that there’s so much action, but he’s not going to complain just yet. He’s sure he’s going to have complaints later on in the pregnancy, but for now he’s going to savor every little movement.

“You felt it, right?” Kenjirou asks.

“Yeah.”

A sob is heard. Satori finds himself crying and soon, Kenjirou’s hormones get the best him because he’s crying right along with him.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Eita whispers, rubbing at Kenjirou’s back.

“Satori,” Wakatoshi says softly. He places a hand on Satori’s shoulder and massages gently.

Tsutomu looks between his pack mates, ever the awkward bystander. It definitely feels like Kenjirou and Satori should be experiencing this together.

Kenjirou and Satori sob together. Satori wraps his arms around Kenjirou and Kenjirou actually wraps his arms around Satori. He rubs his hand up and down Satori’s back.

Satori whispers in Kenjirou’s ear, causing shivers to run down his spine.

“I’m sorry, I should be happier for you.”

* * *

**Monday, February 27, 2023**

Eita squeezes Kenjirou’s hand tight as they wait in the waiting room of the obstetrician’s office. Kenjirou awkwardly leans over the armrest to rest his head on Eita’s shoulder. He has his free hand rested on his belly.

Today marks twenty weeks. Kenjirou’s officially halfway through his pregnancy. The baby is finally developed enough that they can find out the sex. It’s still four weeks before they can tell what secondary sex—omega, beta, or alpha—the baby is by a 3D scan.

“Semi Kenjirou?”

Eita jumps up quickly in excitement and Kenjirou looks at him oddly.

“Relax,” Kenjirou says as he stands up. They follow the nurse back.

The nurse checks Kenjirou’s blood pressure and weight, as usual. The checks with Watanabe go pretty smoothly, too.

“Start talking to the baby,” Watanabe suggests, before slipping out of the room, “They can hear by now.”

Eita really perks up at that. He’s excited to start talking to their little one, but more so, he’s excited to start sharing his love of music with them.

Kenjirou is used to getting ultrasounds by now. They happen every appointment, after all. He no longer gets internal ones done and has moved onto external ones.

He’s situated on the examination table as Eita sits bedside while they wait for the ultrasound technician. Eita scrolls away on his phone.

“What are you doing?” Kenjirou cocks an eyebrow. He leans over a little to try to sneak a peak at Eita’s screen.

“It’s a surprise,” Eita insists as he turns his phone away.

Kenjirou sighs. He leans back into the table, palms pressed into the cushion as he looks up at the ceiling.

“I’m ready to get out of here. I have to pee.” Kenjirou murmurs. He was expected to drink a whole water bottle before the ultrasound to make sure they could get a good image, which doesn’t work well when a baby is pressing on his bladder. He turns to Eita. “You still want to find out the sex, right?”

Eita nods his head. “Absolutely. Sure you don’t want to take any bets?”

“Not on the baby. It feels wrong. Why? What do you think they’re going to be?”

“I’m thinking a girl honestly.”

“I have the same feeling,” Kenjirou agrees.

He rests his hand on his bump, focusing on whether he really felt a movement or not. He may have felt a definite movement the other day, but they’re still not super obvious.

“Do you have a preference?” Kenjirou asks.

“Not really. I’ll be happy either way.”

“Yeah, me too.”

“Gonna find out the sex of the baby today?” Sano asks as he comes into the room.

“Yep!” Eita answers.

Kenjirou unbuttons his maternity jeans and leans back, pulling up the bottom hems of his T-shirt and sweatshirt. He’s glad he no longer has to change into a hospital gown for this. Eita takes hold of one hand and the other stays on the top of his belly.

“Are you ready?” Sano asks as he preps to spread gel across Kenjirou’s belly.

A shiver runs down Kenjirou’s spine at the contact, but he quickly gets used to it. He and Eita turn their attention to the screen as Sano starts moving the transducer around, looking for a good image.

The image is still in black and white. They’re excited to get the 3D scan next appointment but for now, it’s still hard to make things out, at least to the untrained eye.

“They’re developing great,” Sano says, eyes trained on the screen, “And the placenta’s in great position. Everything looks healthy.”

They get to hear the heartbeat again and neither ever get tired of hearing it. Eita pulls out his phone, wanting to savor every moment he can of his little one. He considers if he can incorporate the heartbeat into his music somehow.

Finally, Sano asks the question they’ve been waiting for, “Ready to know the sex?” He smiles when he gets eager nods. He points to the screen. “If you look right here, you can see you’re expecting a little girl.”

Kenjirou and Eita don wide smiles as they turn to each other. Eita wipes at the tears that have made their way down Kenjirou’s cheeks.

“A little girl,” Kenjirou murmurs.

Eita nods excitedly. “A little girl.”

They get more sonograms, which they happily share with the pack after they get home.

**Kenjirou 11:23am**

**_ Attachment _ **

**Kenjirou 11:23am**

**_ Attachment _ **

**Eita 11:23am**

_It’s a girl!!_

**Tsutomu 11:24am**

_That’s so exciting!! Congrats!!_ (★^O^★)

**Taichi 11:24am**

_You all owe me ¥1000_

**Satori 11:24am**

_me and toshi knew it was a girl too!!_

**Taichi 11:25am**

_Ok everyone other than Satori and Wakatoshi owes me ¥1000_

**Kenjirou 11:25am**

_You guys took bets?_

**Eita 11:25am**

_I would’ve wanted to be a part of this_

**Eita 11:26am**

_Who all took part?_

**Kenji 11:26am**

_Everyone_

**Kanji 11:26am**

_I was sure it was gonna be a boy_

**Reon 11:27am**

_Bets aside, congrats guys!!_

**Takanobu 11:27am**

_Congratulations. Daughters are wonderful._

**Kenji 11:27am**

_I would hope you think that Nobu considering we have 3 lmao_

**Wakatoshi 11:28am**

_Congratulations. You’re both healthy I presume?_

**Kenjirou 11:28am**

_Yeah doctor said we’re both doing good_

* * *

**Tuesday, February 28, 2023**

Kenjirou has work Tuesday and Wednesday, so when he gets home, he expects to shower, eat dinner, and head to bed. Eita already has dinner ready by the time he’s done with his shower, but Eita also has a box he’s smiling over.

“What’s that?” Kenjirou asks, eyeing up the Amazon package sitting on the table between the plates Eita’s sitting down.

“Oh! Remember how the doctor said the baby can hear?”

“Yeah?” Kenjirou takes a seat across from Eita.

Eita reaches for the package. The tape has already been torn and he reaches for the flaps, pulling out a pair of headphones. “They’re special headphones for your belly, so nothing plays too loud for the baby. I thought we could start playing some music for her. How cool would it be if she already knew some of my songs when she came out?”

Kenjirou bites back a smart remark. Eita’s too excited to ruin his mood. Instead, he smiles a little and just tells him the truth, “I would love that.”

They eat before testing them out. They settle down in bed where Eita’s pulled out his old phone, filled with music he’s written for Kenjirou, which includes some of his softer stuff. He plugs the headphones in before using the sticky tabs on either ear piece to place on Kenjirou’s bump.

“What are you playing her first?” Kenjirou watches as Eita scrolls through the different selections.

Eita smiles a little sheepishly. “The first song I ever wrote for you.”

“That’s cheesy.” Kenjirou’s teary eyes betray his words. Damn hormones.

Eita laughs, “I think you think it’s sweet.” He reaches up to wipe at Kenjirou’s cheeks, grinning wide now.

“It’s still cheesy.”

“Yeah, whatever.”

Eita presses play and about a minute in, Kenjirou definitely feels a little movement. He places his hand to the spot.

“Did she kick?” Eita asks excitedly, perking up. He looks like an excited puppy.

Kenjirou nods. “Yeah, she definitely moved.”

“I can feel right?”

“Of course.”

Kenjirou takes Eita’s hand, leading him to the spot he felt the movement. Eita frowns when he doesn’t feel anything.

“Why can’t I feel her? Even Wakatoshi and Satori got to feel her.”

“Eita.” Kenjirou brushes his hand against Eita’s cheek, running it up to card his fingers through his hair. “You’re going to feel.”

“Do you think she liked the music at least?”

“She moved during it, didn’t she?”

Eita’s mood brightens a little. “Yeah, we’ll keep trying.”

“Not too long. I have work in the morning.”

* * *

**Friday, March 10, 2023**

Kenjirou made sure to request the day of their anniversary off of work. It’s a big one this year. The second wedding anniversary is usually overlooked, but it’s also his tenth anniversary of being together with Eita. It’s a long time. Kenjirou doesn’t normally like big celebrations; this is definitely something to celebrate though.

He doesn’t set an alarm, wanting to sleep in with Eita. Eita seems to have other plans, however. Kenjirou wakes to an empty bed. He pouts, feeling just how cold it is. Eita’s been gone for a while. Before he can get up, Eita’s walking into the bedroom with a tray in his hands and a smile on his face.

“Hungry?”

“Breakfast in bed?” Kenjirou asks, sitting up.

“I thought it would be a nice way to start the day.”

Eita settles the tray onto the bed before going over to climb onto his side. Kenjirou cuddles into him.

“It is. Thank you. Happy anniversary.”

“Happy anniversary.”

They eat quietly; they simply enjoy each other’s company. After so many years together, it’s not always necessary to talk. When they’re done, Eita sets everything on the floor to take care of later. They curl up together. Kenjirou lays on his side and rests his head on Eita’s chest while Eita plays with his hair.

“I can’t believe we’ve been together been ten years already,” Eita says, “It feels like we got married yesterday.”

“It’s been two years though.”

“I know but everyday feels like a dream. I love waking up to you every morning.”

“Why wonder Satori is always calling you a sap.”

“Sorry for loving you.” Eita places a kiss against the top of Kenjirou’s head.

“Love you, too,” Kenjirou mumbles.

It’s silent for a few minutes before suddenly Kenjirou feels a slight movement in his belly. He sits up, hand resting on the spot the baby moved.

“Is everything okay?” Eita asks, sitting up too.

“Yeah, give me your hand.” Kenjirou says reaching over.

Eita does as asked and Kenjirou places Eita’s hand on his belly. Eita’s face lights up when he feels a tiny little movement underneath his palm.

“She moved!”

Kenjirou’s smiling too as he looks to Eita. “She moved.” He nods.

Eita has tears in his eyes as he embraces Kenjirou in a hug. He buries his face into Kenjirou’s shoulder. “God, Ken, I love you so much. Thank you.”


	16. Chapter 16

**Saturday, March 11, 2023**

It’s around four thirty in the morning. Kenjirou and Eita are in the middle of breakfast. Eita doesn’t have to get up so early; he doesn’t usually do much until later in the day, but he savors what time he gets with Kenjirou, so he doesn’t mind waking up with him before he leaves for work so they can eat breakfast together.

Kenjirou frowns as he sits his spoon down. He twirls his wedding and engagement bands around before ultimately taking them off. He looks like he could cry as he places them on the table next to him.

“Is everything okay, babe?” Eita asks. He’s just swallowed a bit as he watches Kenjirou.

“It’s my rings.”

Eita sits his own spoon down, reaching for Kenjirou’s rings. He examines them as Kenjirou goes back to eating. “What’s wrong with them? They look fine.”

“There’s nothing wrong with _them_. It’s my hands.”

Eita looks up, eyebrow cocked. He sets the rings back onto the table. “Your hands?”

“You know how my feet are swollen?”

“Yeah?” Eita’s not quite sure where this is going.

“It can happen to my hands. My rings don’t fit.” Kenjirou lets out a sigh and squeezes his eyes shut, letting a few tears fall. His face scrunches up in annoyance when he reaches up to wipe his eyes.

“It’s okay, baby, it’s not like we’re not married anymore.” Eita offers him a sympathetic smile.

“I know that.”

Eita reaches over to cup Kenjirou’s cheek, running his thumb back and forth. “You said it was just extra fluid? It’ll go away after you have the baby, right?”

“Yeah, but,” Kenjirou trails off, looking away with still glossy eyes. He bites his lip. “I probably won’t be able to wear them for at least six months. They just mean a lot to me.”

He reaches down to rub his hand against his belly. He feels some comfort when he feels a tiny shift. It’s still not much, but she’s definitely getting stronger.

“Aw, you do love me.” Eita smirks.

Kenjirou glares at him and there’s venom in his voice. “What gave you that idea? Ten years together? The fact that we’re mated and married? Or maybe it was the baby?”

“Hey, hey, I didn’t mean anything by it. I just think it’s sweet.” Eita rises from his seat to press a kiss against Kenjirou’s forehead.

“Sorry, Eita,” Kenjirou reluctantly apologizes, “I’m just upset.”

“Come here.” Eita sits back down and pats his lap. Kenjirou places his spoon back against his bowl, not that he was using it at this point. He slides over, settling sideways onto Eita’s lap and wrapping his arms around his neck. He buries his face into Eita’s scent glands while Eita rubs his arm.

They sit that way until Kenjirou’s alarm goes off, alerting him that he needs to get ready. He frowns and reaches for his phone to shut it off. Slowly, he stands and goes to grab his rings, but Eita places his hand over Kenjirou’s.

“Just leave them here for today,” Eita suggests, “You don’t want to lose them.”

Kenjirou looks upset still, but he doesn’t say anything. He goes about clearing out his bowl and quickly washing it before heading upstairs to get ready.

Eita keeps the rings close, not wanting anything to happen to them. He places them on his nightstand so he knows where they are.

After Kenjirou goes to work, he falls back to sleep for a couple of hours. It’s not until nine or so that he wakes up again. He gets dressed, placing the rings in his skinny jeans pocket for safe keeping.

Stores are open by the time he leaves the house, so he heads to the same store he picked out the engagement ring and where they got their wedding bands. It’s a small, independently owned store.

“Welcome to—ah! It’s you!”

The shopkeeper is a middle-aged omega woman. She has long, salt and pepper hair, falling all the way to her waist, pulled back into a low ponytail. She also has a set of warm, chocolate brown eyes. She’s a little on the heavier side. She has a lovely smile as she sees Eita step into the store.

Eita’s surprised to find that the shopkeeper still remembers him. After all, he hasn’t been in here for over two years. He gets most of his earrings and other jewelry online—mainly from independent sellers to keep it unique—and the only jewelry Kenjirou wears are his rings and a smart watch, so Eita hasn’t been in to buy him anything for him either. The shopkeeper has to have seen a ton of customers since then. Sure, he’s a celebrity, but she doesn’t seem the type to actually know who he is or to have heard of his band. It’s possible she has children or grandchildren that listen to his band though.

“You remember me?” He asks as he steps forward to the counter. It’s a U-shape around a small hole-in-the-wall shop, but the jewelry is still high quality.

“Of course!” She clasps her hands together. “Everyone who comes in looking for engagement rings talks about their mates, but I’ve never seen someone talk about theirs as much as you. Not to mention, when you brought him in, I could just tell how in love you two are.”

Eita’s jaw drops. He did brag about Kenjirou a lot when he was in here the first time. He bragged and bragged about how proud he was of Kenjirou being close to graduating med school, how he had written a song for the proposal—how he had albums worth of songs about Kenjirou, how much of a pain in the ass he is, but damn if he isn’t head over heels. He wouldn’t shut up about the way Kenjirou listens aptly whenever Eita rattles on about music, how he attends every show he can, how it’s been that way since the beginning. The way Kenjirou has supported him from the very beginning. He also wouldn’t stop sharing all of the sneaky photos he had sniped of Kenjirou, the safe ones, of course, though he’s sure she might’ve seen the other ones as he scrolled through his gallery. He rattled on about everything he loves about Kenjirou the whole time Satori and Taichi helped him look over engagement rings. He had been so excited to propose.

“You said you were getting married in March of 2021? Have you celebrated your second anniversary yet?”

Eita snaps out of his thoughts. He nods. “Yeah! We just celebrated two years married and ten years together. We’re having a baby and I’m so excited to be doing this with him.”

The shopkeeper beams. “A baby! That’s amazing! How far along is he?”

“He’ll be five and half months on Monday. We’re having a little girl.”

“Congratulations! You must be so excited!”

“Absolutely!” He digs into his jacket pocket for his wallet to pull out the latest sonogram. A lot of people seem tired of him showing these, so he’s happy to have someone new to share his little girl with.

The shopkeeper shares his excitement. He shows her a few more pictures of Kenjirou—including the latest bump photo—which she seems genuinely interested in. The shop isn’t exactly busy so he’s able to take up her time.

“So what brings you in today?”

Eita pulls Kenjirou’s rings out of his pocket, placing them on the counter. “They don’t fit anymore and Kenjirou’s really upset. I was thinking I could get him a chain or something so he can still wear them.”

“That’s so thoughtful!” The shopkeeper gushes, “Do you have a budget in mind?”

The last time they were in here, they had had a budget. Eita’s music career was still in its infancy and Kenjirou was still a resident, so neither of the rings are the most expensive, but now, Eita wants to get Kenjirou something nice.

“Not this time.”

“Well, let’s see what will look best with these!” She leads him to the side of the room, pulling out a display of plain necklaces. They’re mostly simple silver chains.

“He probably wants something light,” Eita muses, lightly picking up a couple of them without removing them from the display, “He’s not big on jewelry. He wears his rings and an Apple Watch, but not much past that.”

“Of course.” She removes a chain from the cushioning, holding it out so Eita can see it. “This should be heavy enough to hold them and still be light enough that he doesn’t notice. I think it complements the rings too.”

Eita takes the chain from her, examining it. He places it next to the rings and it looks perfect with them. “Can I test the rings on it?”

“Absolutely.”

It feels secure enough that it won’t snap. He’s happy with it and he feels Kenjirou will be too. He just wants him to still be able to wear them when they’re so important to him.

Eita pays for the necklace and bids the shopkeeper farewell. She wishes him her congratulations again and tells him to stop in to tell her how Kenjirou likes it.

Eita heads to the hospital. It’s nearing noon, so he can take Kenjirou out for lunch. Kenjirou actually seems a little surprised to see him, but he doesn’t say anything.

“Want to get something to eat?” Eita asks when Kenjirou emerges from the emergency department.

“I’m in the mood for soba.”

“Sure thing.”

They head to a favorite soba restaurant. Kenjirou is still visibly upset about his rings as they wait for their food. He stares at his left ring finger, constantly touching the spot his rings should be.

“Hey, I have a surprise for you,” Eita says with a smile.

Kenjirou looks up from his hands, obviously not impressed. Eita pulls the necklace box out of his jacket pocket and hands it to Kenjirou.

“What is it?” Kenjirou asks, taking the case into his hands. He realizes it’s more than likely a box for a necklace, but Eita should know better.

“Just open it,” Eita urges.

Kenjirou sighs and does as asked. He flips the top open, cocking an eyebrow when he sees it is indeed a necklace inside. “Eita, you know I don’t wear jewelry.”

“I thought you could put these on it.” Eita pulls the rings from his jeans pocket and places them on the table.

Kenjirou takes the chain out of its case, threading it through his rings. He examines it. It could definitely work and he could have his rings back.

“Here.” Eita slides out from his seat on the other side and slips behind Kenjirou. He takes either end of the necklace into his hands, placing it around Kenjirou’s neck and clasping it in the back. He places his hands on Kenjirou’s shoulders as he peers over to assess Kenjirou’s reaction.

Kenjirou’s fingers play with the rings, twirling them around. He touches the chain, getting used to the feel. A small smile graces his lips.

“How do you like it?

“It’s great, Eita, thank you.”

Eita beams. He places a kiss against Kenjirou’s temple. He kneads his fingers into Kenjirou’s shoulders and Kenjirou leans back into him.

When their food arrives, Eita goes back to his seat. He watches Kenjirou with a fond smile. The whole time they eat, Kenjirou doesn’t stop smiling as his free hand doesn’t leave his rings.


	17. Chapter 17

**Sunday, March 12, 2023**

“Did you ever wish you had your mom around?”

Kenjirou’s not one to talk about his feelings with anyone outside of Eita or the pack. He doesn’t really like to talk to anyone about his feelings in general, but this subject has been weighing heavily on his mind lately. He’s just over halfway through his pregnancy at this point and honestly, he’s starting to feel some apprehension.

He and Koushi are waiting for the rest of the mommy group at the park. Hiroshi is pushing Airi on a swing while Satoshi swings on the one next to them. Koushi keeps an eye on them from a park bench.

Koushi turns to Kenjirou with a bittersweet smile. “Sometimes. Daichi’s mom was nice to have around. I had no clue what I was getting into with Hiroshi,” Koushi chuckles, “But I still would have liked to have my own mom experience my kids with me. I always imagined she would be around.”

Kenjirou never had that luxury, imagining his mom would be around during his pregnancy or raising his children, but there’s something bittersweet about not having his mother. His mother never treated him well; he knows that logically. However, there’s still that nagging feeling that she’s his mother and that it would be nice to have her around.

“You have Eita’s mom, right?” Koushi asks, snapping Kenjirou out of his thoughts.

“Yeah, his parents are really excited. So is his sister.”

“Your brother is too. He tells me all the time.”

Kenjirou hums, “Hmmm.”

“It’s not the same though, I know,” Koushi continues, “There’s something comforting about the idea of having your parents support you.”

He turns slightly and takes Kenjirou’s hands into his own. Kenjirou squirms slightly, unsure of the touch, but ultimately decides that it’s actually a nice feeling.

“I never thought they would support me,” Kenjirou says, “But it would have been nice.”

“It’s not easy, but your pack is here for you; I’m here for you; the rest of the group is here for you. The other moms and I have different experiences and we know a lot of different things. We’re here for you.”

Kenjirou gives a half smile. “Thanks.”

“Of course.” Koushi smiles back.

Things are silent. Koushi settles back into his original position to keep an eye on the kids.

Kenjirou rubs at his belly as the baby gives a tiny kick. He smiles down at his bump fondly, not even realizing the gesture.

“Is the baby kicking yet?” Koushi asks.

“Oh.” Kenjirou looks to him, a little embarrassed. “Yeah. Eita just got to feel the other day—on our anniversary—but I felt her for the first time a couple weeks ago.”

“You’re having a girl?”

“Yeah, it’s a girl.”

“Are you going to find out the secondary sex?”

Kenjirou tenses. It’s possible to find out the secondary sex through a 3D ultrasound before birth, but it’s a subject he’s been avoiding thinking about.

“I don’t know yet,” Kenjirou admits.

“It’s okay to keep it a surprise. Satoshi was a surprise.”

“You didn’t learn his sexes before?”

“I couldn’t,” Koushi laughs, “I didn’t know I was pregnant.”

“What?”

“It’s rare, but I found out you can have heats during pregnancy and I just so happened to have them when I was pregnant with him.”

“Hey guys!” Tadashi greets as he walks toward the bench.

“Oh hey, Tadashi!” Koushi smiles at his pack mate.

Kenjirou doesn’t get to question the subject anymore. The medical professional in him is fascinated at the idea. He certainly knows he can’t imagine not knowing he’s pregnant with his little girl.

Still, as much as he’s aware, he wonders how aware his mother was when she was pregnant with him. Did she savor every little moment like he’s savoring the moments he has with his daughter? He supposes he’ll never know.

* * *

**Wednesday, March 15, 2023**

Kenjirou shifts for the umpteenth time this night. He’s stuck to sleeping on his side, which he’s fine with, but he cannot for the life of him get comfortable. Not to mention, he can’t shake the need to be by Eita’s side and that also limits his sleeping positions.

At twenty-two weeks pregnant, Kenjirou has a decent sized bump. He doesn’t feel huge just yet, but it’s more than he’s used to. After all, he’s used to having a flat tummy, so the swell that comes with his growing baby is new. It’s also a lot of pressure on his back.

“Ken.”

“What?” Kenjirou groans as he flips over again.

“Can I do anything for you?”

“Can you make my back stop hurting?”

“I can try giving you a massage.”

“I guess.”

The massage doesn’t work and Kenjirou goes right back to tossing and turning all night. He goes to work absolutely exhausted. Eita decides to turn to the partner group for advice.

**Eita 10:24am**

_Ken’s back is killing him and he can’t sleep. Any advice?_

**Hitoka 10:25am**

_Oh! Kiyoko has a pregnancy pillow she absolutely loves! It helps her a lot!_

**Kentarou 10:25am**

_Those are the worst Shigeru has a giant one that takes up the whole bed and I can’t even fucking touch him_

**Kei 10:25am**

_Sad you can’t cuddle your omega?_

**Kentarou 10:26am**

_Fuck off_

**Lev 10:26am**

_Mori had a huge one like that too he used it afterward for months :(_

**Eita 10:27am**

_Are they all like that? Kenjirou’s been extra clingy he’d probably hate that_

**Aran 10:27**

_Nah Shinsuke has one that just goes under his belly and hips_

**Hitoka 10:27am**

_Yeah Kiyoko has one shaped like a c and I cuddle up behind her still! It’s kind of weird being the big spoon though lol_

* * *

**Thursday, March 16, 2023**

Kenjirou’s right back to tossing and turning the next night and Eita feels pathetic for not being able to do anything.

“Babe, let me know how I can help,” Eita offers.

“You can’t do anything,” Kenjirou groans.

Eita frowns. He curls up against Kenjirou’s back, scenting his neck. “The other alphas and Hitoka told me about those pillows they make for pregnant people. Maybe we can order you one of those.”

“I don’t want one. It’s gonna make it hard to be close to you and that’s all my stupid hormones want.”

Eita knew that was coming.

Kenjirou is once again dead tired when he goes to work in the morning. He’s barely been able to sleep. He breaks and makes himself coffee, but only allows himself one cup. He wants more though, lots more.

“Be careful,” Eita warns as he kisses Kenjirou goodbye at the door.

“Yeah,” Kenjirou mutters. He takes a sip from his travel mug, hoping that he can make it through the day. “Love you.”

“Love you, too.”

Eita goes back to bed for the time being. There’s not much to do at five thirty in the morning.

When he wakes later in the day around nine, he goes about researching pregnancy pillows. He knows that Kenjirou said it would make it hard to sleep because they couldn’t be close, but there has to be some options just like everyone said. There are plenty that seem like they could take up half of their king size bed; they form a U-shape so someone can slip in the middle. That’s probably what Kentarou mentioned. He rules that out immediately. There are some that simply go under the belly and he keeps those in mind. He feels that a plain, rectangular one might work best, though, so he tracks down a store that has memory foam, figuring that it should be firm enough.

There’s time before he has to meet up with the band at the studio so he decides to head to the store. He gets dressed and he’s on his way.

He finds himself in a home goods store, a little lost. When an omega employee asks him how they can help, he admits he’s looking for pregnancy pillows. They gush about what a good mate he is before pointing him in the right direction. He’s back to being just as lost when he actually finds them.

He’s glad he grabbed a cart because he didn’t expect them to be this big. The rectangular ones are around 137 centimeters and he tosses one of those in the cart. There’s some other ones like C-shape ones—the ones Hitoka mentioned—as well as wedge ones. He tests the firmness and tries to figure out how comfortable Kenjirou will be with each of them. He throws one of each of those into his cart, too. It’s okay if Kenjirou decides he doesn’t want to use them, but Eita wants to do what he can to make him comfortable.

Eita returns home after Kenjirou. Kenjirou has already showered and made dinner. He’s just setting the table as Eita walks in, toting the various pillows—a feat considering how big they are. Kenjirou comes to greet him at the door and is taken aback by all that he’s carrying. Kenjirou frowns.

“What’s all that?” Kenjirou knows damn well what they are.

“Oh! I got you some pregnancy pillows,” Eita answers with a smile.

“You know I said—“

“You didn’t want any.” Eita heads to the living room to sit everything down for the time being. “But I thought you could just try them. They have some where I can still cuddle with you.” He turns to Kenjirou. “I kept that in mind. You need to be able to sleep, babe.”

Kenjirou sighs, “They won’t get in the way?”

Eita turns to him and shakes his head. “They won’t get in the way.” He makes his way over and wraps his arms around Kenjirou’s waist. “You don’t have to use them if you don’t want to.”

Kenjirou nods, wrapping his arms around Eita’s neck. “Okay.” He rests his forehead against Eita’s shoulder. “Thanks, I guess.”

Eita rubs a hand up and down Kenjirou’s back, placing a kiss against Kenjirou’s temple.

“You don’t have to be so grateful,” Eita jokes a little sarcastically.

“I said thanks.”

They eat dinner before it gets cold.

When they’re ready for bed, Kenjirou decides he’ll try one of the pillows. The wedge one seems like it’s the least invasive, but he doesn’t find much comfort in it. He doesn’t find much comfort in the C-shape one either, so he doesn’t have much hope for the rectangular one.

“It’s okay if you don’t like any of them,” Eita reminds him. He watches with an amused expression as Kenjirou tries every position he can to get comfortable.

“I want to be able to sleep though.” Kenjirou pouts as he adjusts around the last one. “Oh.”

“You like it?” Eita reaches over and rubs at Kenjirou’s back. Kenjirou is turned on his side, facing away from him.

“Yeah, I think I do.”

Eita smiles. He shimmies down to his side and spoons around Kenjirou’s back, draping an arm around him. “We can still be close too.”

Kenjirou presses back into Eita. “Yeah. I think this one will work.”

Eita’s almost vibrating in excitement. “I’m glad. I just want you to get a good night’s sleep.”

“I won’t be able to do that with the light on.”

“Right.”

Eita untangles himself from Kenjirou to turn off the bedside lamp from his nightstand.

Kenjirou has his first restful night’s sleep in a while.

* * *

**Sunday, March 19, 2023**

Kenjirou is one day shy of twenty-three weeks pregnant the first time someone tries to touch his belly without his permission. He’s having lunch with some of the pack. They’re waiting around for a table to open up; they have a large group of eight and it’s a Sunday, so of course it’s going to take a while.

Kenjirou is settled on a bench next to Eita, leaning on his shoulder as he scrolls away on his phone. Tsutomu is sat on his other side, happily chatting away to Kanji. Taichi stands nearby, scrolling on his own phone. Satori is giving Mako a ride on his shoulders, pointing out the different food displays. Wakatoshi and Reon chat on the other side of the room.

It’s when an older male omega and beta couple come into the restaurant and notice Kenjirou that it goes down hill. The beta goes to talk to the host while the omega comes to stand in front of Kenjirou.

“How far along are you?”

Kenjirou looks up from his phone. Eita’s attention is caught, too, and he takes hold of Kenjirou’s hand.

“He’ll be twenty-three weeks tomorrow,” Eita answers, sensing Kenjirou’s irritation.

“That’s so exciting! I miss when I was pregnant. Is the baby kicking yet?” He goes in to touch Kenjirou’s belly and Kenjirou would slap his hand away if it wasn’t for Eita being quicker, catching the man’s wrist before he makes contact.

“I’m going to have to ask you not to touch _my_ mate,” Eita sneers.

“Yeah,” Taichi says, crossing his arms as he leans against the wall, “That’s fucking weird. Who touches someone without their permission?”

Tsutomu has caught on to what’s going on and chimes in, “Would you touch someone that wasn’t pregnant?”

The man stumbles on his words, “I never, um—“ before scuttling off to his mate.

Kenjirou’s face is red. “Thanks,” he mumbles, “I could’ve handled that though.”

“You shouldn’t have to,” Eita responds, still worked up.

He scents Kenjirou wherever he can in an attempt to keep people away. Kenjirou doesn’t put up a fight, not wanting to deal with that again.

“We’re a pack; you don’t have to worry about it when we’re here.” Tsutomu smiles at Kenjirou, taking his hand into both of his.

“Yeah, just let us know if you need anything. We’ll be right there for you. That’s what packs do!” Kanji adds.

“You sound so cool, Kanji,” Tsutomu compliments, turning towards his mate.

They’re called for their table shortly after. They’re seated at a large, L-shaped booth in the corner of the restaurant. Luckily, Kenjirou isn’t feeling the need to use the restroom every five minutes at this point in his pregnancy, so Eita sits on the outside edge, blocking him from anyone who might come near, but still giving him easy enough access if he feels restless and needs to get up.

It’s not enough apparently because even the server tries to reach over Eita.

He immediately stops her by grabbing her wrist and letting off warning pheromones. “Don’t touch my mate.”

She looks to Kenjirou, expecting him to say something to his alpha. He only shrugs. “My alpha doesn’t want anyone touching me.” Taichi is seated to Kenjirou’s right and Kenjirou grabs his hand, placing it on his bump, not once breaking eye contact with the server. “Hey she’s kicking, want to feel?”

“I’ve felt before.”

“Feel again.”

Wakatoshi finally speaks up, “We would like another server.”

She straightens up, pulling her wrist away from Eita’s grasp. “Y-yeah, I’ll arrange that.”

“Thank you.”

“Give me my hand back.” Taichi pulls back from Kenjirou’s belly. “She wasn’t even moving.”

“I know,” Kenjirou answers simply, shrugging.

“That’s really weird people want to touch you like that,” Tsutomu says, setting his menu down.

“They’d better fucking watch,” Eita mutters under his breath.

Mako tugs at Reon’s sleeve. “He said a bad word, Daddy.”

“And we don’t repeat that,” Reon warns.

“Oh! Is Semisemi feeling protective?” Satori teases, peaking over his own menu.

“Of course I’m protective!” Eita counters, “Kenjirou is _my_ mate and he’s carrying _my_ child. No one should be touching him without permission, not even me.”

Eita’s pheromones are going haywire at this point. The pack’s booth is mainly out of the way, but a few staff passing by turn their way at the smell of a protective alpha.

“Calm down,” Kenjirou scolds, placing a hand on Eita’s arm, “Not only are you gonna get us kicked out, you’re scaring Mako.”

Eita looks across the table to find Mako with a frightened look on her face. Both Reon and Satori rub at her back, whispering to her.

“Mako,” Eita says softly.

She looks up, shaking a little.

“Would you like ice cream afterward?”

Mako nods, offering a tiny smile.

“I want ice cream too, Semisemi.” Satori has a shit-eating grin on his face.


	18. Chapter 18

**Monday, March 27, 2023**

Kenjirou and Eita once again find themselves in the obstetrician’s waiting room. It’s the day of Kenjirou’s twenty-four week appointment.

Kenjirou grips Eita’s hand a little too tight and his leg bounces anxiously; his other hand rests on his belly.

“Babe,” Eita starts to ask, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, I’m fine,” Kenjirou answers shortly, refusing to so much look Eita’s way.

“Look at me.”

Kenjirou glances at Eita before going back to staring at the fish tank across the room.

“Kenjirou, I can feel how nervous you are. You know how pair bonds work. Do you think there’s something wrong with the baby?”

Kenjirou shakes his head. “It’s about the ultrasound.”

“The 3D one? But we’re going to see our baby in full detail.”

“Exactly. We’re going to find out if she’s an alpha, beta, or omega.”

“Do you have a preference?”

Kenjirou looks down at his feet. “Yeah, I do. I shouldn’t but,” his voice trails off.

“Is it because of your parents?”

“Semi Kenjirou?” A nurse calls out.

“That’s us,” Kenjirou sighs, standing up.

Eita follows suit, feeling uneasy. He hates knowing that Kenjirou is feeling so anxious, especially over something neither of them can control.

The main appointment goes fine. The baby seems healthy and so does Kenjirou. Kenjirou feels like he’s in a haze the whole appointment and Eita watches him with concern. Finally, they’re on their way to get the ultrasound. Kenjirou grips Eita’s hand tighter than necessary on the walk there.

“We still haven’t talked about—“

Kenjirou interrupts Eita, “Let’s just wait.”

Kenjirou waves Eita off when he tries to help him up on the bed. He gets comfortable enough while Eita settles down in the chair next to it.

Sano is as cheery as always when he enters the room, apparently not seeing how tense Kenjirou is.

Kenjirou can’t even appreciate the ultrasound this time around. Eita tries to, but he’s more concerned about Kenjirou.

“Ready to know the secondary sex?” Sano asks with a smile.

Kenjirou sighs, “Just tell us already.”

Sano’s expression drops, but he still continues, “She’s an omega.”

Kenjirou’s eyes sting. His hand grips tighter yet onto Eita’s; his knuckles are white at this point. He wipes at his eyes with his other hand, sniffling. He takes a sharp breath.

“I’ll give you two a minute,” Sano excuses himself, handing Kenjirou a napkin to wipe off the gel used for the ultrasound.

Kenjirou cleans off his belly, refusing to let go of Eita’s hand. He pulls his shirt back down as he sits up. He lets the tears flow freely now. He holds his breath, finding it hard to breathe.

“Kenjirou, it’s going to be okay,” Eita says softly, wiping at Kenjirou’s cheeks. Kenjirou doesn’t say anything so Eita continues, “We won’t ever treat her the way your parents treated you.”

“I know,” Kenjirou sobs before biting his lip. He can feel it getting harder to breathe.

“We’re going to love her and make sure she’s cared for, never let her get touch starved, make sure she doesn’t overuse suppressants. We’ll teach her all about suppressants and her heats. She’s going to be taken care of.”

“I know.”

Kenjirou extends his arm, signaling to Eita that he needs held. Eita stands and embraces him. Kenjirou holds on tight, refusing to let go of Eita’s hand. He cries into Eita’s shoulder, soaking his jacket.

“Take deep breaths,” Eita reminds when Kenjirou continues to struggle with his breathing.

Kenjirou does his best to follow Eita’s instruction, focusing on each inhale and exhale.

“I know you’re scared,” Eita continues, “But I promise you, she’s going to be loved.”

“She’s already loved,” Kenjirou mumbles.

“Of course she is.” Eita pulls back to cup Kenjirou’s cheek in his palm. He places a kiss against Kenjirou’s forehead. “I love you and her more than anything.”

“I love both of you too.” Kenjirou stares down at his belly, not quite able to make eye contact with Eita.

“I know it’s a lot to take in, but I promise you it’s going to be okay.”

“I hope so.”

* * *

_“You found out the secondary sex today, right?”_ Koichi asks excitedly over the phone later that day, _“What’s my niece going to be?”_

“She’s an omega…”

* * *

**Tuesday, March 28, 2023**

Kenjirou hasn’t spoken to his parents since he told them about his engagement. That was officially three years ago earlier this month. They haven’t shown any interest in contacting him and he’s had no interest in contacting them, so it’s a surprise when he’s at work and is told he has a call from his parents.

Kenjirou changed his phone number shortly after the last time he talked with his parents. He had decided he had had enough and no longer wanted contact with them. The fallout over his engagement had been the end. They already didn’t accept him for who he was, but they also didn’t accept Eita as his mate, which had been the last straw for Kenjirou. It’s bittersweet; he doesn’t have his parents in his life, but at least he doesn’t have their judgement or neglect anymore.

“Semi Kenjirou speaking,” Kenjirou plays dumb when he answers the phone at the nurses’ station. One of the nurses gives up their seat so he can settle down into a desk chair.

_“Guess you got married to that rock star,”_ His mother’s voice comes in loud and clear through the speaker, _“Has he cheated on you yet?”_

Right, one of their arguments against Eita has been musicians were bound to cheat.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know who this is,” Kenjirou keeps up his act.

_“Kenjirou, you know who we are,”_ His father’s voice is heard next. Great, it’s _both_ of them on speaker.

“Oh, _Mom,_ _Dad,_ I haven’t heard from you in three years. I almost forgot what you sounded like.”

_“Cut the shit.”_

“I can hang up. I’m not obligated to talk to you.”

_“Koichi told us about your bastard child.”_

A chill runs down Kenjirou’s spine. He’s going to have to confront Koichi about this later. The last thing he wanted was for his parents to find out about his baby.

“I’m _married_. She’s not a bastard.”

_“Heard it’s an omega, just like you,”_ His mother says, disgust obvious.

“Did you just call to insult my child? I have a job I should be—“

_“It’s not too late to kill it.”_

That’s it. Kenjirou has had enough.

“Eat fucking shit. You neglected me my entire childhood and couldn’t give a shit about my life afterward. You haven’t talked to me in three years and you’re only calling me now to tell me to abort my child. She’s very much wanted. Eita and I are going to love her no matter what and raise her better than you ever did me. Don’t ever fucking talk to me again.”

Kenjirou slams the phone down before they get a chance to say anything else. The staff buzzing around stop and give him looks; he glares at them. “Don’t you have a job to do?”

Before he can get up and go back to work, his watch is going off next. He pulls his phone out of his lab coat without looking at either screen and answers with a sharp, “What?!”

_“Woah, babe, calm down, it’s me.”_

Kenjirou takes a breath. Hearing Eita’s voice has a calming effect on him. “Sorry, I just had a rough phone call.”

_“I felt your stress through our bond and I got worried.”_

He doesn’t reply for a few minutes, causing Eita to ask, _“Ken, are you there?”_

“Yeah, I’m here.”

_“What happened? Is everything okay?”_

“We’ll talk about it when I get home.”

_“Will you be okay?”_

“Yeah,” Kenjirou pauses, “Eita?”

_“Yeah?”_

“I love you. More than anything.”

_“Are you sure you’re okay?”_

“Can’t I tell you I love you?”

_“It’s coming off weird.”_

Kenjirou doesn’t reply.

_“I love you too, Kenjirou. Please don’t hesitate to tell me if something happens.”_

Kondo comes around the corner. “Semi-sensei, room three is asking for you.”

“I have to go, Eita.”

_“Okay, I’ll see you when you get home.”_

* * *

“My parents called today,” Kenjirou finally says over dinner.

He’s showered and they’ve ordered takeout tonight. They’re sat at the kotatsu in the living room for a change. Eita hasn’t pushed the subject from earlier, wanting to wait until Kenjirou is ready to bring it up himself.

Eita drops his chopsticks. “Your parents?”

“My parents.”

“What did they want?”

“To tell me to abort our omega daughter.”

Eita’s eyes widen. He reaches out for Kenjirou’s hand, rubbing his thumb against Kenjirou’s knuckles. “How did they find out?”

“Koichi told them,” Kenjirou sighs, “I’m going to have to ask him about it.”

“She’s very much wanted though.”

“I know she is.”

“If we were unprepared, I’d have no issue if _you_ wanted to get an abortion, but that’s our choice, not your parents. We want our daughter. We’ve wanted her for years.”

Kenjirou sets his chopsticks down, rubbing at his belly where the baby kicks. “Yes, you.” He smiles a little as he stares down at his bump.

Eita smiles fondly at the sight. Kenjirou looks back up at Eita, expression serious again. “I told them to eat shit.”

“Good,” Eita replies, “They shouldn’t get any say in what goes on in your life.”

“They don’t. I decided to cut them out for good when they didn’t accept you. I should’ve done it after all the years of mistreatment of me, but I love you and our daughter more than anything. They don’t get a say in that.”

“I’m sorry your parents are so shitty.”

“It’s not your fault.” Kenjirou shakes his head. “Let’s do better for our daughter.”

“I already know you’re doing better.”

* * *

**Wednesday, March 29, 2023**

“You have paint on your cheek,” Kenjirou sighs, grabbing a napkin from the table’s dispenser.

Like Takao, Koichi is a teacher. He wanted to pursue art as a career, but unfortunately their parents weren’t supportive of that and he opted to become a high school art teacher instead. It’s not ideal in their parents’ eyes, but it’s still considered a respectable enough career to them.

After yesterday’s incident, Kenjirou asked Koichi to meet him during his lunch break. School is on spring break after the year’s end, but it doesn’t mean that Koichi hasn’t been painting.

Koichi laughs as Kenjirou leans across the table to shove a napkin in his face. “Okay, _Mom_.”

“Don’t call me that, brat.” Kenjirou settles back into his seat.

“You’re going to be a mom though.” Koichi finishes wiping at his cheek.

“I’m not _your_ mom,” Kenjirou sighs, “That’s what I need to talk to you about: Mom and Dad.”

“What happened?” Koichi cocks his head to the side curiously.

“They called me yesterday, told me you told them about my baby.”

Koichi gasps, choking on his drink. “I let that slip, didn’t I?”

“Yeah, you did.”

“I didn’t mean to, really. They ask about you sometimes. I always try to get them to apologize and make things right, but—“

“They told me to abort her.”

“They what?” Koichi asks in shock.

“I don’t want you to tell them anything about me,” Kenjirou says sternly, “We cut ties three years ago. I don’t want an apology; I want them out of my life.”

“I’m sorry, Ken. I didn’t think they would go that far.”

Kenjirou sighs, “Just don’t do it again.”

“I won’t! I promise!”

Once things are settled, Koichi finally asks, “So she’s gonna be an omega?”

“That’s what the ultrasound tech said.”

“You’re gonna take better care of her than Mom and Dad ever did you, I know it.”

“I know I am. She’s going to be proud of who she is.”


	19. Chapter 19

**Thursday, March 30, 2023**

At twenty-four weeks, Kenjirou’s coworkers are all about his baby bump. Kondo is his favorite coworker when it comes to this. She had a baby only a couple years ago and remembers the feeling all too well, but even some of his coworkers that have had children seem to have forgotten the feeling. Or they don’t care. Whatever the reason, they seem to think touching Kenjirou is fair game.

“Is she kicking yet?” Another doctor asks, reaching for Kenjirou’s belly.

He slaps their hand away before they get a chance to make contact. “Don’t touch me.”

News gets around fast, but it doesn’t deter any of his coworkers. He still gets questions over and over about the baby kicking and others just wanting to feel. He hates it. He’s not sure what use it is to people like his coworkers or strangers—who will have no relationship with his daughter—to feel him up. He loves the way Eita appreciates his new body and he doesn’t mind his pack touching him—they always ask, but they don’t actually need permission—but anyone else is unwelcome.

The worst of the unwarranted touching comes from patients.

“It’s only a sprain,” Kenjirou announces, standing bedside.

The patient seems distracted and doesn’t even seem in pain anymore as they reach for his belly. He knows he shouldn’t, but he grabs their wrist.

“What are you doing?” He asks.

“I just wanted to feel,” They admit.

“Yeah, no, you’re here for a sprained ankle, not to touch my belly. I’ll have your release papers done shortly.” He lets go of their wrist and promptly leaves the room with a huff.

Eita meets him for lunch and they’re both smiling when they make eye contact. However, as Kenjirou is about to step out of the door leading to the front, one of the receptionists comes around to say, “See you later.” And leans down, reaching for Kenjirou’s belly, “And see—“

Kenjirou is close to slapping his hand away, but Eita has already crossed the distance and punched him in the cheek.

“Eita,” Kenjirou mutters.

“Oh my god,” Eita murmurs, “I can’t believe I did that.”

The receptionist is holding his cheek as he stands up. Luckily, Eita hadn’t hit him too hard, more as a warning, but it still obviously hurts. “Why did you do that?”

“Don’t touch my mate,” Eita growls.

The receptionist nods, retreating back to the back to ice his cheek.

Kenjirou turns to Eita, cupping his cheeks and kissing him fiercely. They’re out of breath by the time they release.

“What was that for?” Eita asks, cheeks flushed.

“That was really hot.”

“I don’t think I should do that anymore. I don’t want to get arrested.”

Kenjirou takes hold of Eita’s hand, leading the two of them outside. “Once is enough I think, but it was still a nice gesture.”

“I’m glad. It’s weird that people keep touching you like that.”

“Yeah, I’d really like them to stop,” Kenjirou sighs. He rubs at his belly as the baby kicks. “They’re not even going to know her.”

“Can I feel?”

“Stop asking, Eita, you know you don’t have to do that.”

“Consent is sexy.”

Kenjirou smiles softly as he leads Eita’s hand to the spot the baby is kicking. Eita beams when he feels a little nudge against his palm.

“I love feeling her,” Eita says, “I’m happy I get to.”

When they get to the restaurant they’re going to eat lunch at, Eita makes sure to ask for a four-person booth. He has every intention of sitting on the outside so no one has a chance to touch Kenjirou.

“Thanks,” Kenjirou mutters, resting his cheek against Eita’s shoulder.

“I’m your mate. It bothers me seeing you uncomfortable. You shouldn’t have to deal with that.”

“Unfortunately, it’s a part of being pregnant.”

“It shouldn’t have to be.”

Luckily, lunch goes off without a hitch. However, a reporter approaches them as they’re leaving the restaurant.

“Semi Eita what do you have to say for yourself?”

Eita blinks, not quite sure what the reporter is talking about. Suddenly, he has a phone shoved into his face. He gently presses her arm back to get a good look and it appears a waiting patient had managed to capture the moment Eita punched the receptionist on camera and posted it to Twitter.

Kenjirou grabs Eita’s hand and squeezes tight. “He was protecting his mate.”

“Protecting his mate?” The reporter questions. She has her phone at the ready, recording application up and running. “Were you in danger, Ken-chan?”

“Some people don’t know how to mind their own business.”

Kenjirou tries to sidestep around the reporter, dragging Eita with him. She reaches out for Kenjirou to stop him, but Eita shoots her a glare, his pheromones sending off warning signals. She immediately backs off. Eita may be fairly carefree, but when it comes to his mate, he’s not to be messed with.

* * *

**Monday, April 3, 2023**

**Satori 6:34am**

_So it’s negative_

Satori had had his first heat proceeding his miscarriage in mid March. It’s been around three weeks since his heat ended, so if he was to get a positive result on a pregnancy test, it’s certainly possible at this point.

**Kenji 6:35am**

_What brand did you use? Maybe try another one_

**Satori 6:35am**

_I tried 5 different brands they’re all negative_

Kenjirou doesn’t know what to say. He doesn’t think he’s the right person to speak in this situation. He and Eita have had it so easy.

**Kenjirou 6:35am**

_You did it this morning right?_

**Satori 6:35am**

_Yeah_

**Eita 6:36am**

_I’m sorry Satori_

**Reon 6:36am**

_Maybe next heat will be the time._

**Wakatoshi 6:37am**

_We can only hope._

There’s more apologies given, but nothing can make up for Satori and Wakatoshi’s disappointment.


	20. Chapter 20

**Friday, April 21, 2023**

Kenjirou is exhausted as he walks through the door. He doesn’t even have the energy to call out to Eita to tell him that he’s home. He shuts the door behind him, slipping his jacket off his shoulders and hanging it on the hook. He toes off his shoes, replacing them with his house slippers.

He can hear the sound of Eita’s guitar from his studio. He doesn’t greet him though. Instead, he chooses to climb the stairs to their bedroom to take a shower. He’s ignored Eita’s texts and calls all afternoon. He knows Eita’s felt his distress through their pair bond. Eita had even called the emergency department and a nurse had assured him that Kenjirou was okay—busy, but okay—which is the only reason Eita hadn’t come to check on him. Kenjirou’s just not ready to talk about today.

Kenjirou can feel the baby stir as he makes his way to the bathroom and he rests his hand on his swollen belly, stroking the swell slightly. He’s twenty-seven weeks pregnant now and his bump is a decent size. He knows it’s only going to get bigger as his little girl grows. She still has a little over twelve weeks to grow after all.

“It’s okay, baby,” He mumbles. It’s more for himself than to reassure his child.

He eyes the bed as he enters the bedroom. He wants nothing more than to climb atop it, gathering all of their spare blankets and a handful of Eita’s clothes to make a nest. He wants to lay down and cry after his stressful day. He can’t though; he still feels where sweat has coated his skin and he knows there’s splotches of blood on his scrubs after the day’s events. He would have changed at work, but he had run out of spares, meaning he had no choice but to carry _her_ blood with him.

Kenjirou rummages through the chest of drawers, pulling out a pair of comfy purple plaid lounge pants, a pair of underwear, and a black hoodie that Eita’s already scented for him. He wishes that he could wear one of Eita’s hoodies, but those days are long gone for the time being.

He shuffles off to the connected bathroom, setting his clothes on the counter. He strips off his scrubs, underwear, and socks, standing in nothing but his house slippers. He throws his dirty clothes into the hamper before turning on the shower. He’ll work out the stains later. He can’t face them right now.

These days, he usually gets a bath after work, letting his achy body soak to ease some of the pain after a long day, but he’s so exhausted that he just wants to get everything done and over with so he can curl up in bed.

His shower is quick. He’s out in about ten minutes. He makes quick work of slipping on his clothes and towel drying his hair. He doesn’t have the energy to use the hair dryer.

He knows he should eat something. His stomach feels empty. He hasn’t eaten anything since his break around noon and it’s a little past eight now. It’s not just him that needs the sustenance, after all, it’s the baby too. He’s just so tired and mentally exhausted after his shift that he’s not sure if he’s up for it.

As he exits the bathroom, he finds Eita entering their bedroom. Their eyes meet before Eita speaks, “I thought I heard you get home.”

“Yeah.”

Kenjirou shuffles over to the closet, pulling out some of their spare blankets and a handful of Eita’s clothes. Eita watches him with a look of concern.

“Is everything okay, babe?”

“I’m fine.”

Kenjirou plops the materials down onto the bed, carefully arranging them into a nest.

“No you’re not. You’ve been stressed all day and now you’re making a nest.”

Eita makes his way over to Kenjirou, wrapping his arms around his waist from behind. He rubs his scent glands against Kenjirou, scenting him in a calming manner, and trails kisses down his neck, leaving an extra long one against their mating bond mark.

“I’m fine,” Kenjirou insists.

Kenjirou places his hands over Eita’s where they rest on his pregnant belly. Their little girl kicks against the taut skin.

Still, despite his own insistence, Kenjirou can finally feel his walls break. He’s home; he’s safe wrapped in his mate’s arms. His eyes sting and he lets out a choked sob as the day’s events come crashing back to him. He curses his hormones. He’s usually able to handle the tragedies that his job sometimes brings, but today has been different.

“Kenjirou, what’s wrong?”

Kenjirou shakes his head. He turns in Eita’s arms so that he’s facing him. He wraps his arms around Eita’s neck, burying his face into his shoulder. He takes a deep, shaky breath, inhaling the scent of Eita’s scent glands in attempt to calm himself. He lets his tears flow freely now, soaking the shoulder of Eita’s black band T-shirt. Eita runs a hand up and down his back.

“Bad day at work?”

“Awful.”

Kenjirou doesn’t have a lot to say right now. He’s been holding the tears in for the last few hours. He kept strong through the end of his shift up until now. He just can’t hold it anymore.

Kenjirou grips at Eita’s shirt as he continues to take trembling breaths. He tears at his bottom lip with his teeth.

Eita hooks his arms underneath Kenjirou’s bottom, prompting him to wrap his legs around his waist. He carries Kenjirou the few steps to the bed, gently depositing him into the center of the nest he had started. He crawls onto the bed next to Kenjirou, gathering his omega into his arms. Kenjirou gets situated in his lap. He places a kiss atop Kenjirou’s head, resting a hand against his belly. Their baby girl is still moving around just as restlessly as before.

Eita doesn’t push Kenjirou to say anything. He just lets him cry as much as he needs to. He simply hushes him. He reminds Kenjirou that he’s there and occasionally instructs him to take deep breaths.

Working in an emergency room is a tough job, and Kenjirou is a strong person for putting up with what he does, but there’s only so much one person can put up with.

When Kenjirou does calm down enough and the tears stop and he can finally even his breath, he settles his cheek against Eita’s shoulder. His head pounds. Eita is running his hand against Kenjirou’s arm in an attempt to soothe him.

“I let a girl die.”

Eita’s caught off guard, but he quickly assures, “Kenjirou, it couldn’t have been your fault.”

“She was only three,” Kenjirou continues, ignoring Eita’s encouragement, “She was in a car accident. Her mother walked away, but the girl was fatally injured. We did everything we could, but it wasn’t enough,” Kenjirou takes a shaky breath, “Her parents were devastated. I mean, of course they were.” He pulls away to look Eita in the eyes. Tears threaten to fall again. “If you had seen them, Eita. And her father, she didn’t even get to see her one last time. She told me that I was lucky I still had my child.”

Kenjirou squeezes his eyes shut, letting the tears slip down his cheeks. Eita grasps one of Kenjirou’s hands in his own and wipes at the tears with his other. He leans forward to place a kiss against his bangs.

“I,” Kenjirou chokes on his words, “I couldn’t imagine if anything happened to our daughter.”

Kenjirou’s grip tightens against Eita’s hand. His free hand falls to his belly, grasping at the fabric of his hoodie. He once again buries his face into Eita’s shoulder and Eita laces his fingers into Kenjirou’s hair, holding him close.

“We’ll do everything we can to protect her, Kenjirou. I won’t let anything happen to either of you.”

Kenjirou lets out another sob. “I just love her so much,” He mumbles, barely audible, “If anything happened…”

“Shh, it’s alright.”

Eita places another kiss against the top of Kenjirou’s head.

“I don’t think I could live with myself, Eita. I can’t even imagine how they felt. If you had seen their faces,” Kenjirou’s voice trails off, unable to continue his sentence.

“I couldn’t imagine,” Eita agrees, “There can’t be any pain like losing a child, but it’s not your fault, Kenjirou. I know you did everything you could to save her.”

“I just feel powerless,” Kenjirou mutters.

Eita gives Kenjirou’s hand a squeeze, bringing it to his lips and kissing every knuckle.

“You did everything you could.”

They sit there in silence, Eita holding Kenjirou as close as he can. Their child stirs between them, safe in Kenjirou’s belly. The quiet is only broken by Kenjirou’s occasional sob or a trembling breath.

Finally, when it seems Kenjirou has calmed a little, Eita asks, “When did you eat last?”

“I’m not hungry,” Kenjirou lies.

He’s actually very hungry, but whether he could actually stomach any food or not is another story.

“That’s not what I asked,” Eita says.

“Around twelve thirty.”

“It’s probably eight thirty by now. We can order something. What are you in the mood for?”

“I told you I’m not hungry,” Kenjirou mumbles, burrowing deeper against Eita.

“This isn’t about you. It’s about the baby.”

Kenjirou is quiet. His breath evens out again and he’s eerily still.

“It’s okay to be upset,” Eita assures, “But I want to make sure you’re both taken care of. I’d be a shitty alpha if I didn’t.”

“I love you, Eita.”

“I love you too.”

Eita places another kiss against Kenjirou’s head. He brushes his hand through Kenjirou’s hair.

“How about shirasu?” Eita asks.

It’s Kenjirou’s favorite. He knows that Eita’s finding whatever way he can to cheer him up, even if it’s only in a small way.

“Yeah, that sounds good.”

Eita gently peels Kenjirou off his shoulder, giving him a soft, reassuring smile.

“I have to go get my phone.”

Kenjirou pouts, but heaves himself off of Eita’s lap. He lays down on his side and pulls his body pillow into arms, situating it underneath his belly and between his legs. Eita ruffles his hair before slipping off of the bed. Eita makes his way to the door.

“You cried a lot. You should probably drink something too. I’ll bring you up some water. Need anything else?” Eita asks as he stands in the doorway.

Kenjirou’s been avoiding pain relievers as much as possible, but his head is pounding after his episode.

“Some Tylenol.”

“Got it.”

Kenjirou watches as Eita leaves the room. He sighs, hugging the pillow tighter against him and burying his face into it.

It still hurts. Logically, he knows Eita’s right; he knows he did all he could. He followed all the right protocol. There was nothing more he could do. It doesn’t mean it hurts any less though.

He’s still haunted by the absolute devastation that was painted across the parents’ faces, how the girl’s mother had dropped to her knees and let out the most guttural scream Kenjirou had ever heard. In the three years he’s been practicing medicine, no case has hit him quite as hard as seeing those parents grieve for their lost child.

_“You’re lucky you still have yours.”_

Those words echo in Kenjirou’s mind. He can still hear the venom in her father’s voice, the way her eyes narrowed on him. He still remembers the mixture of anger and pure anguish painted across her face as she held her mate in her arms.

And there’s the _fear_. If something like that were to ever happen to _his and Eita’s_ little girl…

“Hey.”

Kenjirou jolts. He lifts his head to find Eita perched on the edge of the bed. He hadn’t even registered Eita carding his fingers through his hair.

“Sorry,” Kenjirou mumbles.

Eita gives him a warm, but sympathetic smile. “It’s okay,” He pauses, “I ordered your usual. It should be about forty-five minutes.”

Kenjirou nods. His focus strays from Eita and he stares at the wall. He doesn’t feel like he’s mentally there.

Eita brings him back though.

“Sit up,” Eita says, slipping a hand between Kenjirou’s arm and the mattress, helping him into a sitting position.

Eita slips two pills into Kenjirou’s hand. He stares down at them before Eita is handing him a glass of water. He shoves the pills into his mouth, taking a gulp of water.

“Thanks.”

“Drink a little more.”

Kenjirou nods and raises the glass to his lips again. Slowly, he downs the whole thing. He didn’t realize how thirsty he was.

Eita takes the empty glass and sits it on the nightstand.

“I was thinking,” Eita starts, taking Kenjirou’s hands into his own and rubbing his thumbs against the backs, “Since you’re off tomorrow and I don’t have anything I need to do with the band, we could start shopping for the nursery. You’re getting pretty far along and it might get your mind off things.”

Kenjirou hums, staring down at their hands. “That sounds nice.”

“I know Satori and Tsutomu still have the baby shower planned for Sunday, but—“

Kenjirou looks up at Eita, confused. “A baby shower?”

“Fuck!” Eita curses, “It was supposed to be a surprise. I’m sorry.”

Kenjirou allows himself a small smile. “No, it’s fine. I don’t like surprises that much anyway. You should’ve known better.”

Eita laughs, “Yeah, I know. It was their idea though. They’re really excited for us.”

Kenjirou pulls a hand away from Eita’s to rest it against his belly. “I’m excited for us, too.” His expression softens when he feels a little thump against his hand.

“Is she kicking?”

Kenjirou hums as he takes Eita’s hand and guides it to where their daughter is moving. Eita’s face lights up as his hand roams across Kenjirou’s bump, feeling every little movement.

“She’s active tonight,” Eita says, eyes glued to Kenjirou’s belly, “I can’t get over how cool this feels.”

“Try having her kick _your_ bladder.”

Eita laughs. He places both of his hands on either side of Kenjirou’s belly, laying his head against the bump. Kenjirou runs his fingers through Eita’s hair.

Eita’s voice is soft as he speaks to the baby. “You’re not giving your mommy too much trouble are you?”

He receives a little thump against the cheek. He looks up at Kenjirou. “I think she’s sassing me. She takes after you.” He smiles as he places a kiss against Kenjirou’s belly. “I’d like that though.”

“You’re embarrassing.”

“Yeah, maybe.”

“But keep saying that. You won’t like it when she decides she won’t listen to you.”

Eita rests his head against Kenjirou again. “You won’t do that to Daddy, will you?”

Kenjirou feels at peace. He feels so safe with his alpha curled up against him as he talks to their unborn baby. He loves the two of them more than anything. He would be devastated if anything happened to them.

Oh no, he feels the tears sting at his eyes again and he chokes on a sob. He feels so stupid. He still has his baby. He shouldn’t be so wrapped up in the idea of losing her like that girl’s parents.

“Hey, hey,” Eita murmurs as he sits up. He cups Kenjirou’s cheeks, wiping away at the tears with his thumbs. “It’s okay, Ken.”

Kenjirou keeps his hands firmly on his belly. Knowing his little girl is there keeps him grounded.

“We’re going to take good care of her. We’ll make sure she’s safe.”

“You can’t guarantee—“

“I know I can’t.” Eita rests his forehead against Kenjirou’s. “But we’re going to protect her as best we can.”

Kenjirou squeezes his eyes shut, forcing more tears to flow. Eita wipes those ones away too. He takes a quivering breath.

Kenjirou lets himself cry again. He grieves for the girl, for her parents, and he fears for his own child. He never wants to experience what he’s seen Satori and Wakatoshi experience, what the girl’s parents went through. He knows all he can do is his best.

He curses his hormones and his anxiety for letting him get so worked up.

He’s calmed down enough that the tears have stopped falling by the time the doorbell rings. Eita places a kiss against his forehead.

“I’ll be right back.”

Eita reaches into the nightstand drawer to retrieve his wallet and heads downstairs.

Kenjirou slips his legs over the side of the bed, giving a slight shove against his palms. It’s harder to get up these days. He makes his way to the bathroom to relieve himself. Drinking a full glass of water in one go was not a good idea when he has a baby pressing against his bladder.

He grabs his phone where he left it on the bathroom counter and heads back to the bedroom to get comfortable in the nest.

Eita returns shortly, carrying the takeout bag. He sits it on the bed before throwing his wallet back into the drawer. By the time he’s crawling into the middle of the bed, Kenjirou is rummaging through the bag, removing the containers.

It’s not the most ideal setting to eat in, but Kenjirou feels comfortable surrounded by the familiar scents the nest holds.

“We still haven’t talked about names,” Eita says as he’s taking the lid off his food.

Kenjirou swallows his mouthful. “Do you have anything in mind?”

“I kind of like Kotone.”

Kenjirou thinks it over for a minute before taking another bite of shirasu. “I’m not sure.”

“There’s a lot of names. It doesn’t have to be that one.”

They pass a few names back and forth while they eat. When they finish, they throw the containers back into the bag and sit it on the floor to dispose of later. Eita stacks some pillows up against the headboard. They lean back and Kenjirou curls up into Eita’s side. They both have their phones out, scrolling through naming websites.

“What about Haru?” Eita asks.

“It’s too common,” Kenjirou pauses as he stares at his screen, “I like Hana. What do you think, Eita?”

“Now _that_ one is too common.”

“It’s less common than Haru.”

“Hana sounds too much like my sister’s name. Do we really need both Semi Kana and Semi Hana?”

“That’s fair.”

Kenjirou lets out a small grunt as he shifts position.

“You okay?” Eita looks down at him with concern.

“Yeah, my hips hurt.”

“Sorry, babe,” Eita pauses, looking over a list, “What about Hitomi?”

“Se _mi_ Hito _mi_?” Kenjirou asks in disgust, stressing the last syllables.

“It was just a suggestion.”

“Let’s stay away names that end in an ‘e’ sound.”

“Yukiko is cute.”

“She’s going to be born in July,” Kenjirou deadpans.

“Yuriko?”

“Doesn’t feel right.”

Eita continues to scroll, offering another suggestion, “Sakura?”

“Not only is it too common, I don’t like the double ‘s’ sound. Also _July_.”

“Miku’s cute.”

“Like the Vocaloid? We’re not Satori.”

“The name came before the Vocaloid, babe.”

“Se _mi Mi_ ku,” Kenjirou stresses.

Eita sighs, “Nao?”

“I don’t want one syllable.”

“Really, Kenjirou?”

“Yeah.”

“Nao _ko_?”

“Still don’t like it.”

“I’ve suggested plenty of names, do _you_ have any?”

Kenjirou hums. He looks at his phone. Compared to Eita, he hasn’t really typed any down in his notes. He has a couple, but he’s not sure how he feels about any of them.

“I like Kasumi, but there’s the ‘mi’ sound.”

“Yeah,” Eita agrees.

“I also really like Saori.”

“That goes against both your rules.”

Kenjirou huffs, “I don’t know.”

There’s some silence as they continue their search. Eita breaks the quiet by suggesting, “Semi Reiko.”

“That’s,” Kenjirou pauses, testing is out on his own tongue, “Semi Reiko. I like that actually.”

“I changed my mind. I don’t like it. It’s too much like my mom’s.”

“You’re the one that suggested it!”

“It’s just not right.”

They pass some more names back and forth before Kenjirou finally declares, “I’m done.”

“She needs a name. We can’t just keep calling her our little girl.”

“Let’s just forget it for now.”

“Okay,” Eita agrees in defeats, dropping the subject.

Kenjirou sits his phone to the side, shifting to ease the pain starting again. He watches as Eita scrolls through Instagram. The band’s page has gained more followers, which is nothing new. It’s when Eita switches to his personal that Kenjirou takes issue. Eita has posted a sneaky shot of Kenjirou when he was eating. It’s garnered a good amount of likes over the last hour.

“Why did you take that?” Kenjirou groans.

“You look adorable.”

“I’m stuffing food in my face. You could have at least warned me.”

Kenjirou softens when he notices the description.

**semieita**

_He’s a pain in the ass but I’m still looking forward to spending the rest of my life with him. Only three more months until we meet our baby girl_

It’s cheesy, but it’s sweet. There’s a string of comments underneath, including ones from their pack.

**miracleboysatori**

_Lmao ur a sap eita_

**miracleboysatori**

_Hope she doesn’t get ur fashion sense (_ _≧▽≦)_

**goshikitsutomu**

_Ah! The baby’s gonna be so cute! I promise I’m gonna be the best uncle! (_ _＾ｕ＾)_

Tsutomu’s one of many gushing over how cute the baby will be. There’s other comments about loving the band’s newest song and other generic remarks, including comments about “relationship goals” and “Ugh, Ken-chan’s so lucky!!” Wakatoshi’s comment makes Kenjirou laugh though.

**ushijima_wakatoshi**

_Kenjirou looks like he’s doing good. Satori and I hope to see you soon. We’re wishing you well._

“He knows he can text us, right?” Kenjirou asks.

“ _Satori_ knows,” Eita answers, “He sends me the worst memes everyday.”

“Do you think Wakatoshi understands memes?”

“Satori shows him and he pretends to get them, but they both know he doesn’t; that’s why he sends them to me. _I_ don’t even always get them.” Eita swipes out of Instagram to his text messages, scrolling through his thread with Satori.

“Oh God,” Kenjirou mutters in disgust as Eita shows him one that especially doesn’t make sense.

“I told you.”

“I’m glad he doesn’t send them to me.”

“I could tell him you like them.”

“Don’t.”


	21. Chapter 21

**Saturday, April 22, 2023**

Kenjirou sleeps in. Yesterday had been a rough day and Eita decides it’s best not to bother him for the most part. It’s not until eleven that Eita is perched on the edge of the bed, carding his hands through Kenjirou’s hair and smiling at him.

Kenjirou’s eyes flutter open at the contact.

“Hey,” Eita says, “You in the mood for breakfast?”

Kenjirou’s stomach growls. “I guess that answers your question.”

Eita laughs, “Come downstairs. I made food.”

Kenjirou flops his body pillow to the side and slips out of bed. He toes his feet into his slippers before following Eita downstairs.

He’s surprised to find pancakes sitting out on the table. It’s not a usual occurrence that they have American-styled breakfast. In fact, Kenjirou didn’t even know they had anything for pancakes in the house.

“I know you’ve been craving sweets all of your pregnancy, so I thought it might be a welcome change,” Eita says, taking a seat.

It _is_ a welcome change. Kenjirou savors every bite.

After they get dressed, they do exactly what they planned yesterday: begin shopping for the baby. They start with choosing a color for the nursery. First, they find themselves in a home improvement store looking through paint swatches.

“There’s so many pinks,” Kenjirou remarks.

Eita sighs, “I’ve seen some of the things Satori and Tsutomu have picked out for the baby shower. They’re all pink.”

“We should get something else. There’s only so much pink I can handle.”

They pick up a number of different swatches, comparing them. They’ve picked up enough from the whole rainbow.

“Okay, but red and green are _too_ bold for a baby,” Kenjirou says, taking the swatches from Eita and placing them back.

“I guess.”

“And orange is _way_ too much.”

“Hey, I like the orange.”

“You can paint your studio orange.”

Kenjirou also pulls out anymore dark colors.

“Yellow’s pretty gender neutral,” Eita complains when Kenjirou takes another card hidden in his swatches.

“It’s neon, Eita.”

Eita pouts.

They’re left with pastel yellows, purples, and blues, having ruled out pink altogether. Eventually they decide maybe blue isn’t right either, so they end up putting those back, too, leaving them with the yellows and purples.

“I like this one,” Eita remarks, pulling a light purple out.

“Me too,” Kenjirou agrees.

Kenjirou takes that swatch through the various different lightings set up in the paint section.

“Yeah, I think this is the one,” Kenjirou finally decides.

They end up with two liters and a liter of white paint for the trim. They’ve never painted a room and they’re not even sure how much they’ll need, but it’s better safe than sorry.

They haven’t set up a registry, but honestly, with the baby shower tomorrow, it’s too late, so it’s anyone’s guess what their pack and friends plan to get, so they stick with the big stuff like the crib, changing table, car seats, among other things. They head to a baby store next to pick out the big things they’ll need.

“There’s so many cribs,” Eita sighs, “How do we even know which one to pick.”

“We got white for the trim, so let’s start there,” Kenjirou replies.

Eita pushes the cart around aisles and Kenjirou leans against him, holding onto his arm.

“The round ones are cute,” Eita says.

“Yeah, but we’d almost have to put it in the corner. The sides don’t go down either.”

There’s a lot of back and forth. There’s also a lot of standing in the middle of the aisles as they research each individual crib on their phones, making sure they’re safe. They decide to get one that will convert into a toddler bed as the baby will need it.

“I’ve been thinking,” Kenjirou muses as they peruse the changing tables next, “I do like the name Kotone.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“Hmm,” Eita hums, “Semi Kotone.”

“Semi Kotone,” Kenjirou repeats, testing how the name sounds on his own tongue.

“I think it’s definitely one to consider.”

“Me too. I don’t know if I want to decide right now, let alone while shopping for baby furniture.”

“Yeah, let’s definitely think it over. We have a few weeks.”

“We have a few months. My due date isn’t for another twelve weeks.”

“Then there’s plenty of time to decide.”

“You’re the one that wanted to start thinking over names,” Kenjirou retorts.

“This is important. Our daughter’s going to have to live with this the rest of her life.”

“We need to pick characters too. They have to represent something important.”

“Yeah, let’s just think it over.”

They continue through the store. The cart is full by the time they’re finished. Eita has had to retrieve a second cart since the items are so big. They’ve picked up the crib and mattress, of course, along with a changing table, a rocking chair, and two car seats—one for each of their cars. There’s definitely going to be more things they’ll have to pick up, but they’ve gotten most of the big items out of the way at least.

Getting everything in the house is the problem. It was one thing getting them in both of their cars and playing Tetris to get everything to fit—they had driven separately for this reason—but it’s another thing carrying the boxes into the house and most up the stairs. Not only are the majority of the items in big, bulky, awkwardly shaped boxes, some are heavy. The crib alone is twenty-seven kilograms.

“Maybe we should call Wakatoshi or Satori,” Eita says.

“I can help,” Kenjirou insists, “I’m not useless.”

“Absolutely not.”

Wakatoshi and Satori arrive not long after they’re called. Wakatoshi helps Eita and Satori sits with a pouting Kenjirou.

“This wasn’t even necessary.”

Satori smiles and rubs Kenjirou’s back. “You don’t want to hurt the baby, just let them do it.”

Kenjirou hates having to let everyone else do things like this. He leans back into the couch, sandwiching Satori’s hand between his back and the cushion. Satori pulls his hand out. Kenjirou’s own hands go to rest on his belly, feeling for any movement. Satori pokes at Kenjirou’s belly button, causing him to jolt.

“What was that for?” Kenjirou glares at him.

“It’s popped out!”

The baby pushes her little fist around the area, causing Kenjirou’s skin to raise a little.

“Woah!” Satori’s eyes widen more than usual, “That’s so cool!”

Kenjirou side-eyes him. “Yeah, it’s pretty normal at this point.”

“Can I try again? I want to feel.”

Kenjirou shrugs. “Go ahead. You already did.”

Satori wiggles his fingers.

“That’s weird,” Kenjirou groans.

Satori finally places his hands against Kenjirou’s bump, tapping his fingers a little to try to get a reaction. His face lights up when there’s a light pressure against his palm.

“Did you feel that, Ken?”

“Didn’t have a choice.”

“Does it feel cool?”

Kenjirou faces Satori and he can see the longing in his eyes, how much he wishes he could be in this situation, that he and Kenjirou could be going through pregnancies together. He doesn’t tell him how uncomfortable it can be sometimes and simply smiles as he nods. “Yeah, it’s cool.”

It’s not a lie. He’s happy to feel his little girl. He’s excited to know she’s there, that she’s growing and getting bigger, that _his_ body is creating her, but sometimes her development just comes with its discomforts. He doesn’t want to ruin the illusion for Satori though. This means so much to him.

Satori leans back into the couch too, cuddling into Kenjirou’s side. He wraps his arms around him and Kenjirou brings his hands up to rest on Satori’s arm.

“I can’t wait to experience it for myself,” Satori murmurs, “I’d love if our kids could be close in age. Too bad this last heat was a dud.”

“I’m sorry, Satori. I’m sure it will happen.”

“Yeah, me too.”

Kenjirou’s eyes start to feel heavy and he lets himself doze off. Satori ends up falling asleep with him. Eita and Wakatoshi find them curled up together, fast asleep. They don’t dare disturb them.

* * *

**Sunday, April 23, 2023**

“It’s crowded,” Kenjirou groans as they pull up the Ushijima house, “They had to have invited the whole mommy group.”

“We’re _part_ of that mommy group,” Eita counters, putting the car in park, “Still, I told Satori not to go overboard.”

“And you know it was him. Tsutomu wouldn’t dare cross me.”

Neither moves, not particularly wanting to go in.

“ _Oh god_ ,” Kenjirou gasps.

Eita’s eyes widen in concern as he looks to Kenjirou, but sees just where his eyes are fixated—or just on who. “Is that _Oikawa_?”

“They’re both Oikawa now,” Kenjirou deadpans.

“Yeah, but,” Eita trails off as he watches where Satori happily greets Tooru, Hajime, Issei, and Takahiro. Tooru looks ecstatic to be there, and Takahiro and Issei look fairly chipper too; meanwhile Hajime looks like he’s wondering just why he’s here.

They’ve met Tooru and Hajime exactly twice after his return from Argentina. That had been during Wakatoshi and Satori’s wedding last May and Shigeru’s baby shower a couple of weeks ago. The four of them have barely ever spoken. Satori and Tooru had surprisingly hit it off—despite Tooru’s high school rivalry with Wakatoshi and Shiratorizawa as a whole—which probably explains the couple’s appearance now.

Satori’s attention strays from the former Aoba Johsai team and toward where Kenjirou and Eita are still waiting in the car. He smiles widely as he waves his hand toward him, motioning for them to come inside.

“I guess we have to go in now,” Eita moans.

“Do we have to? We can still go home.”

“They were nice enough to do this for us,” Eita sighs, “But I don’t want to, either.” He unbuckles his seatbelt finally, reaching for the door handle. He turns to Kenjirou, lips drawn into a thin line. “Ready?”

“No,” Kenjirou answers plainly as he unbuckles his own seatbelt. Eita’s quicker to get out of car and tries to help him out, but Kenjirou waves him off. “I’m just pregnant. I can still get out of the car.”

“I’m just trying to help.” Eita pouts.

“I don’t need it.”

Still, Kenjirou grabs for Eita’s hand before they make their way to the front door. Satori is waiting excitedly.

“You made it!”

“Just like Eita told you we would.”

“We’re so happy to have you for _lunch_!” Satori looks inside, winking.

Kenjirou closes his eyes, sighing. It’s only a few hours, he reminds himself. He can make it. “Yeah, _lunch._ ”

He promised Eita he would pretend he thought it was a surprise, that he wouldn’t drop that Eita had let the secret out, but also, how did Satori think he could hide this? The house is obviously crowded and there are cars all around the block, with even more people inside. Kenjirou’s due date is twelve weeks away and Satori has been eager to take the reins planning a baby shower ever since Koushi planned one for Ryuunosuke and Chikara earlier in Kiyoko’s pregnancy. Mako’s grandmother had thrown one for Reon and his mate while Takanobu’s parents had thrown them for him and Kenji the first two times—before they decided twice was more than enough—so Satori had never gotten to plan one. He hasn’t stopped talking about wanting to throw one.

“Well, come on, come in!” Satori steps aside dramatically, arm spread out in a welcoming manner.

Beyond the entryway, they can spot several tacky pink decorations. They slip their shoes off and slip on their house slippers before following Satori inside.

“Are you surprised?” Satori’s beaming at his handiwork.

“You love it, right?” Tsutomu peaks around the corner, smiling just as wide.

“We love it, right?” Eita asks, “It’s a nice _surprise._ ”

Kenjirou has the worst fake smile. “Yeah, it’s great. A _surprise_. Thank you.”

Satori sulks. “Eita told you, didn’t he?”

Eita’s jaw drops and Kenjirou shrugs. “It’s nice,” Kenjirou offers, sounding less than enthusiastic.

“Well, whatever!” Satori quickly changes his tune. “You’re going to love it!”

People are scattered throughout the living room and dining room. There are over thirty-five people. All of the moms, moms-to be, and those who want to be moms have their mates in tow. It’s a good thing the Ushijima house is so big. The entire mommy group is there, as well as the pack, and Tooru and Hajime.

Kenjirou eyes the sweets laid out on the dining room table. He’s been craving Satori’s baking more and more as his pregnancy progresses. Eita smirks at him knowingly and gives his hand a squeeze.

“Look who’s here!” Satori exclaims.

“Ah, Ken-chan! You’re so big!” Tooru exclaims, bouncing over.

At least he’s not using Kenjirou’s former family name this time. But god, Kenjirou wants nothing more than to go home right now, after grabbing some cupcakes first, of course. There’s just something about Oikawa Tooru acting like they’ve been friends for years and commenting on his growing belly.

“Shigeru-kun and Kiyoko-chan are bigger though,” Kenjirou groans. It’s true though. They’re both nearly five weeks ahead of him in their own pregnancies.

“I heard that,” Shigeru laughs. He’s bouncing Akio awkwardly on his hip.

Kentarou hovers at his side. “Give him to me. You shouldn’t be holding him.”

Shigeru slaps his hand away, forcing a smile. “I’m fine, Kentarou.”

“Is she kicking yet? I never savored Itaru’s kicks.” Tooru pouts. “I want to feel.”

Tooru makes grabby hands towards Kenjirou’s belly. Kenjirou doesn’t even get to react. Eita has already stepped in, taking hold of Tooru’s wrist before he can touch Kenjirou.

“Don’t touch him,” Eita growls.

Tooru is obviously taken aback at being told no. He glances between Eita and Kenjirou and turns back to Hajime, as if expecting his alpha to say something.

Hajime shrugs. “You didn’t like it either. Leave him alone, Tooru.”

Tooru pouts, but nods. Eita lets go and Tooru retreats to the other side of the room and settles onto one of the couches between Hajime and Takahiro. Issei is perched on the armrest next to his mate.

“You can touch my belly,” Takahiro jokes, prodding Tooru with his elbow.

“You had your babies two years ago.”

Issei pats Takahiro’s belly. “We should try again. Maybe we can get triplets this time?”

“Can you even afford two kids? Let alone five?” Hajime deadpans.

“We’d manage,” Takahiro says.

“Yeah, we just have to have a couple really rich people die,” Issei adds.

“Want to see your Uncle Tooru?” Shigeru asks as he gently deposits Akio onto Tooru’s lap.

The little boy happily exclaims, “Ruru!”

Tooru seems to be brought out of his mood enough. He seems content to be able to cuddle Akio.

Unfortunately, all attention is on Kenjirou throughout the party. He would rather spend the day relaxing at home with Eita—unbothered—but instead, he’s forced to pose for terrible pictures and play awful games and deal with people he absolutely doesn’t want to deal with like Oikawa Tooru. He’s constantly trying to sneak off and Eita makes excuses for him whenever he can.

“I don’t want want to be here,” Kenjirou groans through a mouthful of cupcake. He and Eita have found themselves a moment of peace.

“I know, babe,” Eita croons, wrapping an arm around Kenjirou’s shoulder. He runs his hand up and down Kenjirou’s arm and places a kiss against his temple. “Give it another hour and we’ll tell them you’re tired.”

“I’m tired now.”

“Ready to open gifts?”

Kenjirou feels like he could jump out of his skin when Satori pops around the corner. Eita laughs at him, which earns him a soft slap to the arm.

Kenjirou bargains the sooner he gets the gift part over, the sooner he can go home. “Yeah.”

Everyone gathers in the living room. Wakatoshi and Satori have a large living room, but it’s still a tight fit. In the center of the action is Kenjirou. Eita sits by his side, giving his hand a squeeze.

Satori and Tsutomu happily bring over gifts. There’s tons of diapers. There’s also the “essentials” that the more experienced parents swear that they’ll need, like a chestfeeding pillow and a baby wipe warmer. There’s clothes in various sizes as well as toys. Satori seems to have told everyone that bunnies were the theme for whatever reason.

“Why all the rabbits?” Kenjirou asks him.

“They remind me of you!” Satori answers as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

Kenjirou and Eita had had a couple of rabbits when they moved in their apartment, but they passed shortly before moving into their house. They had considered getting more, but it just never happened. Kenjirou can’t imagine any other reason why rabbits would remind Satori of him.

“Nobu worked really hard on that one,” Kenji announces as Satori hands Kenjirou the next bag.

Kenjirou picks at the tape at the top, opening it. He pulls out the tissue paper and inside is a handmade quilt. He pulls it out and it looks professional. He looks to Takanobu. “You made this?”

Takanobu simply nods.

The quilt looks like something that could be bought at a store. There’s not a loose thread in sight. It’s pink and white and keeps to the rabbit theme, but it’s absolutely gorgeous.

“It’s beautiful. Thank you so much.”

“He started it as soon as you shared the sex,” Kenji says. Takanobu has a slight blush dusting his cheeks and Kenji playfully punches his arm. “Don’t be so shy. You should be proud.”

Satori keeps his and Wakatoshi’s gifts for last, which end up being the biggest and most expensive. Show offs.

They stay a little longer before Eita finally makes the excuse that Kenjirou is tired, which isn’t exactly a lie. Kenjirou has been tired of the party since it began.


	22. Chapter 22

**Monday April 24, 2023**

“We should look into childbirth classes soon,” Eita muses.

They’re cuddled up on the couch watching a movie. Kenjirou has his head on Eita’s lap as Eita plays with Kenjirou’s hair. Kenjirou is wrapped up in a blanket, legs curled up to rest against the swell of his belly. His belly has grown a good bit at twenty-eight weeks.

“I don’t really want to do that,” Kenjirou replies.

“Shouldn’t we be prepared?”

Kenjirou sighs, pushing himself up. “Do I need to remind you that I’m a doctor? I know enough. Plus, my body will know what to do.”

“I still think we should go. I’d like to know what’s going on with you.”

“Use Google.”

Eita frowns. “I want to be involved and make sure I can support you.”

“I don’t want to go. It’s a waste of time.” Kenjirou pulls the blanket around his shoulders and stands up. “I’m going to bed. Goodnight.”

* * *

**Tuesday, April 25, 2023**

Eita visits Satori at the bakery in the middle of the next day to vent. They’re sat in one of the booths. Eita is drooped over the table, head rested in his hand. There’s a plate of cupcakes between them. He’s not hungry, but Satori is constantly trying to feed everyone.

“I think you should take them,” Satori says, shoving a cupcake into his mouth.

“I think so too. I don’t want him to be unprepared.”

“Is this about him though?”

Eita sighs, “I want to be involved too. He’s doing most of the work and I feel like I’m on the sidelines.”

“Just like high school.” Satori smirks.

“Oh shut up.” Eita reaches across the table to give Satori a shove. “He gets to experience everything so I’d at least like to know what’s going on.”

“You can Google everything,” Satori says as he shoves another cupcake into his mouth.

Satori has one of the smallest appetites of anyone Eita’s met, but he’s sure that sweets are an exception. He would probably substitute actual food with them if Wakatoshi wouldn’t scold him.

“That’s what Kenjirou said.”

“I’ll take the class with you.” Satori points a finger at Eita.

Eita’s face scrunches up in confusion. “What? _Why_?”

Satori shrugs. He leans back into his seat and crosses his arms behind his head. “You’d feel stupid going alone, right?”

“I guess.”

“And eventually, I’m going to have a baby. I’d kind of like to know what’s going on.”

“But wouldn’t you want to take them with Wakatoshi?”

“He’ll understand.”

Eita’s not sure he will. Or maybe he will. Wakatoshi is still hard to read. _Satori_ is still hard to read. Why wonder those two go together so well.

“We can take ‘em again too,” Satori suggests.

“They’re not supposed to be fun, you know.” Eita finally reaches for a cupcake.

“We’ll make them fun.”

Eita brings Satori’s suggestion to Kenjirou later in the evening and Kenjirou is less than impressed.

“Are you serious?”

“Yeah, Satori said he would go with me. You don’t have to worry about it.”

Kenjirou sets the dinner plates down with a little more force than necessary.

“Why would you want to go with Satori?”

“You didn’t want to go. I want to be more involved, Kenjirou.” Eita crosses his arms over his chest.

“You _are_ involved,” Kenjirou insists, “You’ve done so much to help me. Why are these classes so important?”

“I want to feel connected too. You get to experience everything and I’m,” Eita sighs, “I’m just here. You feel the baby kick all the time. You know she’s there. You’re feeling her grow and I don’t get to do anything but watch.”

“Eita.” Kenjirou looks up at Eita. He takes Eita’s hands into his.

“I want to be a good dad, Ken.” Eita feels his eyes start to water.

“Stop,” Kenjirou chuckles, eyes glossy, “You’re gonna make me cry.” He kisses Eita’s cheek. “You’re going to be a great dad, Eita. Just because you’re not carrying the baby doesn’t mean anything. You support me through _everything_. You still talk to her all the time. You sing to her. You’re always feeling her.”

“I’m still not connected to her the way you are.”

“You will be. As soon as she’s out, she’s going to love you just as much as she loves me. It sucks right now, I’m sure, but just hold on, okay?” Kenjirou lifts one hand to kiss Eita’s knuckles. “She’ll be here before we know it and you’re going to be her whole world.”

“Thanks.”

“I mean, she’s not going to know anyone else.” Kenjirou smirks.

“Asshole.”

“I love you.” Kenjirou reaches up for a kiss and Eita reciprocates.

“I love you too, but you’re still an asshole.”

Kenjirou untangles a hand from Eita’s and jiggles the necklace his rings are on. “You’re stuck with me.”

“I still have the receipt.”

“I’ll burn it.”

“Doesn’t burning our marriage license void our marriage?”

“Let’s just eat. I’m hungry.” Kenjirou pulls Eita over to the table to sit down.

* * *

**Friday, April 28, 2023**

**Kentarou 8:01am**

_I fucking hate running out in the middle of the night to get whatever Shigeru’s craving_

**Kei 8:01am**

_No you don’t_

**Eita 8:03am**

_When do those start?_

**Eita 8:03am**

_Midnight cravings?_

**Daichi 8:03am**

_You mean Kenjirou hasn’t sent you out for anything yet?_

**Eita 8:03am**

_No_

**Lev 8:03am**

_You’re lucky! Mori sent me out almost EVERY night for something different_

**Kentarou 8:04am**

_Shigeru has me out every fucking night too_

**Kentarou 8:04am**

_Can’t let him go either someone has to stay with Akio_

**Kei 8:04am**

_You wouldn’t make him go anyway_

**Kentarou 8:05am**

_Wait until Tadashi sends you out. You’re more whipped than I am asshole_

**Kei 8:06am**

_So you admit you’re whipped?_

**Issei 8:06am**

_Midnight craving runs were the worst! We always ran out of cream puffs in the middle of the night and hiro drove me crazy_

**Koutarou 8:07am**

_I was happy to do them for Keiji!! I felt more involved_

**Hitoka 8:07am**

_I know! Kiyoko’s always so embarrassed but I love to do it for her!!_

**Eita 8:07am**

_That’s how I’d see it too. I want to be more involved :(_

**Kei 8:08am**

_You’re worse than kentarou lol_

**Lev 8:08am**

_You’ll regret saying you want him to do it when he asks you to_

**Aran 8:09am**

_They’re not that bad. Shinsuke gives in once a week_

**Kentarou 8:09am**

_Once a week is nothing!_

**Lev 8:09am**

_It was at least 3 times_

**Kentarou 8:09am**

_Try every ducking night_

**Kentarou 8:09am**

_Ducking_

**Kentarou 8:10am**

_Ducking_

**Kei 8:10am**

_What about ducks?_

**Kentarou 8:10am**

_F U C K I N G_

**Kentarou 8:10am**

_It’s every goddamn night_

**Daichi 8:11am**

_Aran, isn’t Shinsuke due today?_

**Aran 8:11am**

_Yep still waiting. He’s a little anxious at this point_

**Daichi 8:11am**

_Better watch or the new baby will share a birthday with Yukine_

The chat cycles back to buzzing over complaints of midnight craving runs and Eita bows out of the conversation. It’s later after Kenjirou has gotten home from work that he says anything. They’re sat down for dinner.

“Have you been craving anything?”

Kenjirou cocks his eyebrow. “Like what?”

“You know, pregnancy cravings.”

“Just Satori’s sweets. You know that.”

“Nothing else?” Eita frowns.

“Why?”

“The other alphas and Hitoka were talking about midnight craving runs.”

“You should be glad you don’t have to do that,” Kenjirou deadpans.

“I’d kind of like to be involved though.”

“This again? You _are_ involved. You’re starting that class Monday. You’re doing whatever you can to be involved.”

Eita doesn’t seem convinced and Kenjirou sighs, realizing what he’s going to have to do.

That night, when Kenjirou is having trouble sleeping, he decides that even though he’s not actually craving anything, he’s going to make something up for Eita’s sake. He checks the kitchen before bed. They mainly keep anything in stock that either of them would ever want to eat, so it makes the task a little difficult.

Eita is sound asleep when Kenjirou goes to wake him. He almost feels bad. _Almost._ Eita wants this to happen after all.

“Eita,” Kenjirou says, shaking his shoulder lightly. He’s sat up in bed next to Eita.

Eita’s eyes flutter open. “Are you okay? What time is it?”

“Around two. I can’t sleep. I’m,” Kenjirou pauses, putting on his best acting, “I’m having a craving.”

Eita sits up excitedly. “Really? What is it?”

Kenjirou thinks back to what they were missing in the kitchen earlier, something sweet, because that’s all he’s actually wanted. He knows whatever he asks for isn’t going to be as good as what Satori can make though. “Ice cream.”

Eita knows well enough they haven’t gotten any in a while so he hops out of bed and slips into a pair of jeans and a hoodie. “I almost forgot, what flavor?”

“Strawberry.”

“Got it! I’ll be right back.”

“Make sure it’s the kind with the little chunks.”

“Of course!”

Kenjirou tries to go back to sleep while Eita’s gone. He doesn’t even want to eat anything, but he knows it means a lot to Eita to be able to support him. He was so excited before he left.

When Eita returns, he brings up a bowl of ice cream with a spoon to the bedroom for Kenjirou. Kenjirou actually enjoys it and Eita’s happy to have done something for Kenjirou.

Kenjirou decides to make it a weekly thing.

* * *

**Monday, May 1, 2023**

Kenjirou still doesn’t want to take the classes and Eita respects that. He ultimately decides that he’s fine with Eita taking them with Satori if he really wants to, so that’s what he decides to do.

He knocks on the door to the Ushijima residence. It’s easier to pick Satori up than going individually.

Wakatoshi answers. “Ah, welcome, Eita. Come in. Satori will be ready in a few minutes.”

Eita nods, stepping inside. He slips his boots off in favor of his house slippers. Nina jumps onto his leg and tries to get his attention. He gives her a few head pats.

They make their way to the living room, sitting on the adjacent couches. Nina hops onto the couch with Eita, rolling onto her back and resting her head on Eita’s lap. He rubs her belly.

“Are you sure you’re okay with Satori coming with me?” Eita asks.

Wakatoshi nods. “I see no problem with it. We plan to have our own child,” he pauses, “When we can, so it should be helpful.”

“I’m ready!”

Satori comes into the living room and Eita’s jaw drops. There’s no way he’s serious.

Satori is wearing a white T-shirt with each of the three Totoros on the belly as well as a pair of gray leggings with soot sprites and star candy, but what really draws Eita’s attention to the outfit is the way Satori’s stomach juts out.

Nina runs over to him excitedly, sniffing at his belly.

“I don’t know what you have shoved under your shirt, but go take it out,” Eita just about growls.

“Don’t you like it?” Satori playfully pouts. He pats his new belly. “I’m just playing the part.”

“I think you look lovely,” Wakatoshi compliments.

“See? Toshi likes it.”

Eita pinches the bridge of his nose. “Satori, I swear to God.”

Satori waves his hand. “Fine, I’ll take it off if it’s that bad.” He retreats back towards the stairs. Nina follows behind him.

“How do you put up with him?” Eita asks Wakatoshi.

“I think his eccentricity is alluring. He’s unique and that’s what makes Satori Satori.”

“I’m not sure that’s what I asked.”

Satori returns in another tacky outfit—and Satori is Eita’s biggest fashion critic—but this one is lacking the fake pregnant belly, so Eita will take what he can get.

“Well, see you later, Toshi!”

“See you, Wakatoshi!”

“Have a good time.”

“ _Oh, we_ _will,_ ” Satori responds and Eita hates the tone in his voice.

When they get there, they get checked in, but they’re a little early and they’re free to mingle with the others from the class until the instructor arrives. Satori takes Eita by the arm and leads him inside.

The last thing Eita expects is to be mistaken for Satori’s mate. After ten years, Eita can’t imagine himself with anyone but Kenjirou, let alone _Satori._ He loves him, but more like a brother or something. They’re pack mates after all.

“How far along are you?” A beta woman—who is very obviously in her third trimester of pregnancy—asks Satori. Her alpha stands next to her.

“Oh I’m seven months,” Satori responds, patting his belly.

Eita regrets everything. He should have never agreed to this. He should have listened to Kenjirou. He looks to Satori in pure horror. Satori just smiles smugly.

“You are not,” Eita growls.

Satori waves his hand. “I’m just joking. I’m _seven and a half_ months.”

“You look so good for being that far along!”

“Is that healthy?” A pregnant omega man comes over with his female alpha partner.

“Doctor says I’m just fine,” Satori insists.

Eita gets a text from Kenjirou and he realizes just how distressed he is.

**Kenjirou 6:34pm**

_What’s wrong? You feel super stressed_

**Eita 6:34pm**

_You were right. I don’t want to be here_

**Kenjirou 6:35pm**

_What happened? Are you okay?_

**Eita 6:36pm**

_Satori decided to pretend he’s my pregnant mate_

**Kenjirou 6:36pm**

_I’m going to kill him_

“Honey,” Satori playfully slaps Eita’s arm, “This nice couple asked you a question.”

The pregnant omega laughs, “It’s okay. I know dads don’t really want to be here.”

Eita’s expression falls. “No! It’s not that! My _real_ mate was messaging me. The one that’s _actually_ pregnant.”

“That makes more sense.” A beta male comes over with his pregnant alpha female mate. “I thought I recognized you as the lead singer of Enigma. Your omega’s name is Ken-chan, right?”

“Um, Kenjirou, but yeah, my fans usually call him Ken-chan.”

“Wait, then who’s he?” The alpha male asks.

“I’m his—“ Satori begins, but Eita cuts him off before he can continue anymore of this ridiculous charade, “Best friend. He’s my pack mate and head omega.”

“So where’s your omega?” The male omega asks.

“He didn’t want to come. I wanted to be involved, so I was going to come alone, but Satori offered to come with me.”

“Satori? As in Ushijima Satori?” The pregnant alpha female asks, “You’re that baker guy from TV, right?”

“Chocolatier, actually,” Satori corrects with a smile, pointing out a finger, “I do run a bakery, though.”

The group continues with pleasantries until the instructor arrives. Everyone takes a seat at the tables taking up the room.

“I’m Suzuki Keita,” He introduces himself as he stands at the front of the room, “First, we’re going to introduce ourselves.”

The group goes around introducing themselves before Suzuki finally asks, “How many of you are first time parents?”

Almost the entirety of the class raises their hands.

“That’s fine! That’s what we’re here for. Are any of you familiar with the different stages of labor?” Most everyone shakes their heads. “Okay, then let’s start there.”

He passes out booklets before going over the three different stages. The next thing he goes over is the different stages of childbirth. What Eita doesn’t expect is for Suzuki to start fiddling with a projector.

“We’re going to see exactly what goes on during childbirth.”

Satori laughs upon seeing Eita’s shocked expression, causing the rest of the class to look their way. Eita has always been a little squeamish.

He’s fine watching the omega on the video in labor. That part is totally fine. There’s no blood; there’s no guts; there’s no fluids; it’s _fine_. It’s unsettling to think that Kenjirou is going to be going through all that pain, but he’s going to do his best to support him through every bit of it. It’s when the video shows in _full detail_ the actual birth—the baby coming out of the birth canal in all its glory—that Eita can’t handle it. He finds himself running for the nearest trash can. Satori’s laughing at him again.

Yeah, Satori was right. The class was going to be fun…for Satori.

“That’s pretty neat!” Satori remarks, “I didn’t know it could stretch that much.”

“Satori, I swear.” Eita turns to Satori, but catches another glimpse of the screen, which causes him to dive right back into the trash can.

It’s going to be different with Kenjirou and their baby, he tells himself; it’s going to be different.

The instructor calls it quits for the week’s lesson after the video. Eita’s glad. He still feels woozy.

He ends up letting Satori drive him back to the Ushijima house. Satori’s laughing the whole time.

“I can’t believe you threw up!”

“Shut up,” Eita mutters, leaning into the vents to cool down with the air conditioner, “You saw the same thing I did.”

“I think it’s pretty neat,” Satori replies, eyes not leaving the road.

“Will you think it’s neat when it’s your body?”

“I won’t like the pain, but Toshi will be there with me, and afterward, I’ll get our cute little baby. We’re gonna have a cuter baby, by the way.”

“Yeah, right. Have you seen Kenjirou? If our baby looks anything like him, she’s going to be absolutely gorgeous.”

“Okay.” Satori rolls his eyes, “But mine’s gonna be more fun.”

“Fun?”

They continue to swap baby hypotheticals the whole way home.

Wakatoshi is taken aback by Eita’s appearance when they return to the house. He immediately goes to make Eita some tea to calm his stomach.

Satori sits on the couch, patting his lap, motioning for Eita to come relax with him until Wakatoshi finishes the tea. Eita lays down on his back, resting his head on Satori’s lap. Satori cards his fingers through Eita’s hair.

“I think you’re still gonna be a good dad,” Satori says, leaning back, “Kenjirou’s lucky.”

“I can’t even handle looking at a baby being born. What am I going to do when _our_ daughter is born?”

“It’s going to be fine. Just don’t look.”

When Eita gets home, Kenjirou has already made dinner. He’s just setting the table as Eita walks through the door.

“Smells good,” Eita compliments, walking into the kitchen.

“Thanks. I’ve been craving this so I hope you don’t mind.”

“Whatever you want, baby.”

They both take their seats at the table. They say thanks and dig in.

“How was the class?” Kenjirou asks between bites.

“It was…fine.”

Kenjirou cocks an eyebrow. “Was it?” He picks his phone up off the table, unlocking it. He’s been waiting for Eita to return, just to show him this. There’s a photo on Instagram tagged with “#semieita” as well as “#semisemi” and “#enigma” among other tags related to one Semi Eita. The kicker is that it’s a photo of Eita hunched over the trash can at the class, remarking about how the lead singer of Enigma can’t even handle a childbirth video. Eita takes the phone and checks the profile, recognizing it as the beta male’s name.

“Goddammit.”

Kenjirou laughs, “I knew you were squeamish, but I thought you’d be able to handle that. I actually wish I would have been there for that.”

“That’s what you get for missing out.”

“Yeah, whatever, I still don’t want to actually go.”


	23. Chapter 23

**Thursday, May 4, 2023**

Kenjirou’s starting to feel pretty big at twenty-nine weeks pregnant. His back aches; his legs ache; his feet ache; everything just _aches_. He’s uncomfortable. Not only that, Satori won’t stop teasing him that he’s waddling, but Eita assures him that’s not true.

He has the day off and ends up sleeping in, way past his usual time of four in the morning. He’s exhausted in his third trimester. He actually had a restful night’s sleep last night. The baby hadn’t kicked too uncomfortably and Eita had been curled up against him _just right_. It was a perfect combination that led to a great night’s rest that he hasn’t had in a while.

Eita’s side of the bed is cold when Kenjirou wakes, meaning Eita’s been up for a while. It’s a little disappointing—he would have loved some morning cuddles—but he doesn’t bother to get out of bed to look for him and drag him back.

Instead, he sits up, stretching. He lets out a yawn. He stacks up some pillows so he can comfortably lean back. He reaches for his phone on the nightstand, unplugging it from the port and tossing the cord to the side to deal with later. He leans back, going about checking social media.

He has likes, comments, and DMs on Instagram, wishing him a happy birthday. Right, it’s his birthday. He’s been so wrapped up in his pregnancy discomforts and preparing for the baby’s arrival that he had forgotten about his birthday. He didn’t request the time off, but he ended up having the day free anyway.

The notification that stands out the most, though, is a post from Eita, tagging him. It’s a picture of Kenjirou sleeping—he’s guessing from this morning judging by the pajamas and the size of his bump—he has his hand across his belly and a small smile on his face, even in his sleep.

**semieita**

_Happy birthday to the love of my life **@semikenjirou** we’ve been together ten years and I’m still so excited to wake up to you every morning. I’m so happy I get to spend every day with you and I’m looking forward to taking the next step in life with you. I can’t wait until we meet our baby girl in three months. I love you more than you’ll ever know happy birthday baby _♥️♥️♥️

It’s cheesy. Eita’s posts about Kenjirou are always cheesy. He loves to show Kenjirou off though, which Kenjirou finds sweet. Kenjirou loves Eita more than anything.

There’s comments from their pack, as well as Eita’s fans, wishing him a happy birthday too.

**miracleboysatori**

_Ur a sap eita!! But happy bday **@semikenjirou** !!! I’ll make sure u get lots of _ _🎂_ _later!_ _♪_ _(_ _๑_ _ᴖ_ _◡_ _ᴖ_ _๑_ _)_ _♪_

**ushijima_wakatoshi**

_Happy birthday, Kenjirou. I hope you have a good day._

**goshikitsutomu**

_Aw that’s a sweet post Eita!! Happy b-day **@semikenjirou** (_ _★_ _^O^_ _★_ _)_

****

The rest of the pack has comments as well. Kenjirou has a smile on his face as he reads them. He’ll have to thank them later. He finds himself crying as he reads everything. He wipes at his eyes, cursing his hormones. He wouldn’t be crying if he wasn’t pregnant; pregnancy has made him such a sap.

He gets a text message next and it’s all over for Kenjirou.

**Eita 9:38am**

**_ Attachment _ **

**Eita 9:38am**

_Didn’t want to wake you but I thought I heard you up just now. Happy birthday babe I love you so much_ _♥️_ _♥️_ _♥️_

Kenjirou watches the video Eita’s sent. In it, Eita’s set up in his studio. He shuffles back from hitting record on his phone to sit on a stool with an acoustic guitar. He starts to play and Kenjirou’s breath hitches when Eita sings. His voice is as beautiful as always. It’s a new song that Eita’s written and it’s just as heartfelt and meaningful as all the other ones he’s created just for Kenjirou.

Kenjirou makes sure to save it and put it in a special folder for safekeeping.

Eita finds him with tears running down his cheeks.

“Babe, you okay?”

Kenjirou looks to where Eita’s standing in the doorway. He nods. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

“I wanted to tell you I made breakfast. You okay to eat?”

Kenjirou nods again. “Yeah.”

Eita closes the distance between them, sitting on the edge of the bed. He reaches over and wipes at Kenjirou’s tears. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m pregnant, mainly,” Kenjirou deadpans, “You know I wouldn’t be crying otherwise. But, I read your post and watched your video. Eita, I’m so lucky to have you.”

“I’m lucky to have you.” Eita smiles. He leans forward to cup Kenjirou’s cheeks in his hands and kiss him. “Happy birthday, baby.”

“Thank you.”

“You want to go eat breakfast before it gets cold?”

“Sounds good.”

Eita helps Kenjirou off the bed and they hold hands the whole way to the kitchen. Eita’s made Kenjirou’s favorite breakfast and Kenjirou finds himself teary again.

Eita chuckles as he wipes at Kenjirou’s eyes.

“Shut up,” Kenjirou bites. His hand goes to his belly as the baby kicks particularly hard. “This is your baby’s fault.”

“Oh so she’s mine now?”

“Who else’s would she be?”

“Yours?”

They settle down to eat.

“I already told the pack I wasn’t going to let this be a surprise to you,” Eita says between bites, “but we’re going out to dinner with them later. They really want to celebrate with you.”

Kenjirou knew that was coming. They go out for dinner for everyone’s birthday, but he’s not sure how much he’s up for it, considering his current discomforts.

“I’m not looking forward to sitting in one position all that time,” Kenjirou groans.

“I’m sorry, babe.” Eita reaches over to rub at Kenjirou’s arm. “I tried to tell them you wouldn’t be up for it, but it’s what they insisted. I can see if maybe they can come over or something, watch a couple movies. We could order takeout.”

“I’d prefer that. Sorry, I’m just so sore lately.”

“Don’t be sorry. I have to be your biggest support person and if you aren’t up for it, then I’ll make sure they know.”

“I mean, I could tell them too.” Kenjirou shrugs before shoving another bite into his mouth.

“I just like sticking up for you.” Eita smiles.

Kenjirou smiles too. “Thanks, Eita.

“Speaking of you being sore, I booked you a prenatal massage. It’s safe for you and the baby; they have great reviews. I think you’ll feel really good.”

“I wanted to spend the day with you though.”

“I know and I do too, but it’s a couple’s massage. We’ll be together.”

“You’re going to get a prenatal massage?” Kenjirou snarks.

“You know damn well that’s not the case, smart ass.”

The massage feels amazing. Kenjirou feels like jelly when they’re done. His aches and pains are gone for the time being. He’s thankful for Eita thinking about this.

The massage takes a few hours, but they still have time to kill between then and the pack coming over to celebrate. They cuddle up on the couch and Eita plays some of Kenjirou’s favorite songs for him. They also watch a couple of the crappy movies that Kenjirou loves to criticize.

Before they know it’s six and Satori is bursting through the door, not knocking of course. Wakatoshi excuses the intrusion, following close behind. He carries presents while Satori carries what Kenjirou’s really been interested in lately: cake. It’s a shame they’ll have to wait until after dinner.

The rest of the pack slowly pours in, knocking instead of using their keys. Once everyone arrives, they order food, making sure everyone gets what they want.

They stay in the living room for most of the night, which is a tighter fit than it would be at the Ushijima residence, but at least Kenjirou gets to firmly plant himself on the soft couch whenever he feels the need. He also finds himself pacing around a good bit thanks to his restless legs.

Since the girls and Hibiki are there, they find some child-friendly movies to watch during dinner. Mako hasn’t seen Kenjirou in a while so she’s fascinated with his growing belly; Emiko and Shiori have already worn out all their questions to Kenji during his pregnancies.

“There’s a baby in there?” Mako asks curiously. She pokes at Kenjirou’s belly.

Eita laughs, wrapping his arm around Kenjirou. They’re settled up on the couch with Mako facing Kenjirou on her knees.

Kenjirou hums in affirmation.

“How did it get in there?”

Eita snorts and Kenjirou turns to him. “You want to explain, Uncle Eita?”

Mako watches Eita in anticipation.

He freezes, eyes wide. “You see, Mako,” He starts.

Luckily, Reon realizes the situation. He scoops Mako into his arms, giving her a raspberry to her tummy. She giggles at the touch. “You’ll learn when you’re older.”

Kenjirou hates having “Happy Birthday” sang to him, but boy is he glad to have cake this year. Satori makes sure to cut him the biggest piece and grins at him knowingly as he passes him a plate. It’s just as delicious as everything else Satori makes.

Reon, Takanobu, and Kenji leave with the kids earlier than everyone else, making sure to wish Kenjirou a happy birthday once again. Kenjirou ends up wavering in and out of sleep before everyone else leaves, so Eita ushers them out as quickly as he can. Satori and Wakatoshi stay behind long enough to help clean up.

When everyone is gone, Eita plops onto the couch next to Kenjirou. Kenjirou curls up into Eita’s side.

“Did you have a good birthday?” Eita asks.

“One of the best.”


	24. Chapter 24

** Friday, May 5, 2023 **

****

** Aran 8:32pm **

_ You were right, Daichi. Eisuke was born on Yukine’s birthday _

** Aran 8:32pm **

_** Attachment ** _

Aran sends a photo of himself and Shinsuke with both the new baby and Yukine. Shinsuke is showing Yukine her little brother for what seems to be the first time. She’s wearing a little tiara announcing her third birthday, but doesn’t seem upset to be spending the day in the hospital.

** Aran 8:33pm **

_ She thinks he’s a present. Don’t know how happy she’ll feel to share next year though _

The whole parent group sends in their congratulations. Eita shouldn’t, but he finds himself laughing a little Kenjirou tears up next to him.

“Shut up, Eita,” Kenjirou sniffles, reaching for a tissue.

“I didn’t say anything,” Eita chuckles.

“We’re gonna have a baby soon too.”

“I know, babe.” Eita places a kiss against Kenjirou’s temple.

* * *

** Sunday, May 7, 2023 **

**Kiyoko 6:36pm**

**_ Attachment _ **

**Kiyoko 6:36pm**

**_ Attachment _ **

**Kiyoko 6:36pm**

_They’re only previews, but I think these photos turned out really nice and I wanted to share._

Kiyoko mentioned getting maternity photos done a couple weeks ago with Hitoka and the baby’s parents, Ryuunosuke and Chikara. It seems she’s gotten preview photos back and has sent them to the group chat.

**Koushi 6:37pm**

_You’re glowing, Kiyoko!!_

**Shinsuke 6:37pm**

_I agree, you’re stunning. They turned out great._

**Morisuke 6:37pm**

_You and Hitoka-chan look beautiful!_

**Hitoka 6:38pm**

_Thank you! But Ryu and Chikara are there too lmao_

There’s an outpour of compliments. Even Kenjirou gives his; he can appreciate Kiyoko’s beauty, even if he’s not into women.

**Kiyoko 6:44pm**

_Didn’t you get photos done too, Shigeru-kun?_

**Shigeru 6:45pm**

_I did! Akio had a great time and even Ken didn’t give too much fuss_

**Shigeru 6:45pm**

**_ Attachment _ **

Shigeru shares a photo of himself, Kentarou, and Akio. Kentarou has Akio settled on one hip as he leans in to kiss Shigeru. Shigeru has one hand draped under his pregnant belly.

The group gives their compliments on the photo and Kenjirou dreads the next question.

**Koushi 6:49pm**

_Are you getting any photos done, Kenjirou?_

**Kenjirou 6:50pm**

_I don’t really want to I think they’re kind of dumb_

**Akira 6:50pm**

_That’s why I didn’t get any done_

**Kenji 6:50pm**

_I think they are too I only got them done so I could have pictures of the girls. Nobu also wanted to make everyone outfits_

**Takahiro 6:50pm**

_Issei and I made it fun!_

**Takahiro 6:51pm**

**_ Attachment _ **

**Takahiro 6:51pm**

**_ Attachment _ **

**Takahiro 6:51pm**

**_ Attachment _ **

Takahiro sends a photo of his pregnant body and Issei’s head, among other terrible photos Kenjirou wishes he could have gone without seeing.

**Morisuke 6:51pm**

_I actually wanted to get them done, but Anya came before then._

**Koushi 6:51pm**

_I wish they had been more popular when I had Hiroshi. Of course, we couldn’t do one for Satoshi, but…_

Kenjirou still can’t figure out how Koushi didn’t know he was pregnant the second time. Kenjirou is very much aware of how pregnant he is at twenty-nine weeks.

“Maternity photos?” Eita asks, peering over Kenjirou’s shoulder.

The two of them are curled up on the couch, watching television. Kenjirou’s phone has been going off nonstop for the last fifteen minutes though.

“Yeah,” Kenjirou sighs, “The group is talking about them. Kiyoko and Shigeru look like models.”

Kenjirou’s phone buzzes again and Keiji has shared his own photos.

“Keiji does too,” He adds.

“Do you want to get them?”

“No,” Kenjirou answers bluntly, “I think it’s a waste of time. I’m working four days a week still and I’m tired on my days off.”

“We could do it during your leave,” Eita suggests.

“I want to take leave around thirty-eight weeks.”

“Kenjirou!”

“I would rather spend the time with the baby.”

“You could take unpaid.”

“I guess, but I still don’t want to do the shoot.”

“I’d kind of like to.”

Kenjirou squirms in Eita’s arms to look up at him. “Really?” He cocks an eyebrow. “Why?”

“For one, I think you look gorgeous pregnant,” Eita says, “And I’d like to remember it. I know photographers that would make you feel really good about yourself too.”

“I’ll think about it,” Kenjirou hums, settling back down to rest his head against Eita’s shoulder. “It’s for you though. I don’t want to do it.”

“Okay,” Eita chuckles, placing a kiss on Kenjirou’s head, “For me.”

* * *

**Monday, May 8, 2023**

The comments that come flooding in from the post last week are humiliating. Kenjirou finds them hilarious, but Eita can’t find the humor in them. Some people find it sweet Eita’s taking a class to prepare for his child, but the amount of remarks over his squeamishness are a kick to his ego.

By the time the class rolls around the next week, things have calmed down at least.

“Think he’s going to make another post?” Satori laughs as they walk into the classroom.

Eita glares at him. “Don’t even joke.”

Eita hopes this class will go more smoothly. Today’s lesson is on medical intervention and he wonders just how bad it can be. It’s fine, at first. The first steps of induction aren’t too bad to hear about, some gel to the birth canal doesn’t sound too bad. Breaking the water manually doesn’t sound horrible either. He doesn’t think it should bother Kenjirou too much.

But when they start talking about needles and IVs, he starts to get tense. Satori laughs at him, watching him out of the corner of his eye. He gives Satori a shove.

“Shut up.”

The class watches them and Suzuki has to shush them. Eita feels like they’re in high school again.

It only goes downhill from there.

Cesarean section is discussed and it’s not the worst. Eita can handle _hearing_ about it, but then Suzuki pulls out the projector again. It’s over. Eita finds himself headfirst in the trash can again as soon as the first incision is made. He wishes he would have at least worn the same outfit as last week—maybe he could play it off as it happening only once—because he sees not only one, but multiple flashes going off. This time Satori is part of the bunch.

Kenjirou is smirking when Eita returns home.

“I don’t want to hear it,” Eita groans.

“I didn’t say anything.”

“You have that look.”

“Even Satori posted it this time.”

“What an asshole.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As far as the AranKita baby names, I tried and tried to find the characters for Kita’s grandmother’s name. They don’t name babies after people in Japan, but they’ll sometimes use the same character in a name. I couldn’t find the characters for Kita’s grandmother, but I thought he would name his kids in honor of her, so I used a Japanese name site and just chose a spelling I liked and chose a character to find names for the babies. (Sorry, this isn’t explained well.) the characters used for Yukine’s name are help someone/hope/and sound and the characters for Eisuke’s name are forever and ever/help someone. Thought that was a nice tidbit to throw out there.


	25. Chapter 25

**Sunday, May 14, 2023**

Kenjirou groans when his alarm goes off. He’s been having bouts of insomnia, which isn’t unusual at almost thirty-one weeks pregnant. He had managed to actually catch some deep sleep not long before he was disturbed. He reaches for his phone, hitting the cancel button.

Eita leans over from where he’s spooning Kenjirou. He kisses Kenjirou’s cheek, whispering in his ear, “Go back to sleep for now. I’ll make breakfast.”

Kenjirou doesn’t argue. Eita slips out of bed and Kenjirou tries to go back to sleep. He’s surprised how easy it is this time. He’s exhausted mainly. He finds himself in a deep sleep when Eita wakes him back up, letting him know that breakfast is ready.

He’s groggy as he pulls himself out of bed and follows Eita down the stairs. Eita’s made omelettes with enough for second helpings for Kenjirou.

He still doesn’t feel awake by the time he’s dressed. Eita kisses him goodbye before he makes his way to work. He still feels like he’s in a haze all the way to his lunch break. A receptionist comes to tell him that Eita’s there—he comments on how sexy Eita is today, causing Kenjirou to roll his eyes—and he meets him out front.

Eita’s smiling, holding a bag and a bouquet of flowers. Kenjirou stops in his tracks, giving Eita a skeptical look.

“What’s the occasion? It’s not an anniversary or anything,” Kenjirou questions as Eita hands him the flowers.

“You really don’t know?” Another receptionist calls from behind the plexiglass screen.

Kenjirou looks her way before turning back to Eita. “No seriously, what’s the occasion?” He looks down at the flowers. They’re red and they smell nice, but Kenjirou doesn’t know enough about flowers to be able to tell what they are. He’s sure Wakatoshi could tell, along with the meaning.

“It’s Mother’s Day,” Eita says.

“Oh.” Kenjirou’s expression softens and it clicks. The flowers are carnations. “But, the baby’s not born yet, I’m not a mom.”

Eita wraps his free arm around Kenjirou’s shoulders, placing a kiss against his temple. “You’re still a mom, babe. Two months from now, we’re gonna have our baby girl.”

“Yeah, so there’s next year.”

“I want to try to do something nice for you now,” Eita insists, “You’re giving me so much, so happy Mother’s Day.” He pulls back to open the bag and show the contents to Kenjirou. “I hope bento is okay. I figured it would be too busy to eat out on your break today, so I made some tamagoyaki. I thought we could go eat in the park or something.”

Kenjirou nods. Eita takes his hand and they walk to the park. It’s not far, which is good because Kenjirou’s feet ache and being on them six hours at a time doesn’t help.

The weather is nice enough at twenty-one degrees. Eita only needs his zipped hoodie and Kenjirou doesn’t even bother with a jacket being that he’s wearing a long sleeve shirt underneath his scrubs.

The park is fairly busy, but they find an empty picnic table. Kenjirou feels awkward in it with his belly since he can’t move the seat.

“Thanks,” Kenjirou mutters as Eita pulls everything out of the bag.

Eita stares at him for a moment, a little surprised, before replying, “Of course.”

They eat peacefully and Kenjirou finds himself distracted, focusing on some of the families in the park. He ends up feeling overwhelmed when a pair walk by pushing their baby in a stroller. He curses his hormones, putting his chopsticks down to wipe at his tears; his face scrunches up in annoyance. Eita cracks a smile.

“Stop,” Kenjirou says.

“I didn’t say anything,” Eita insists.

“You have a look.”

“I just think you’re so cute.”

“Crying over a baby?”

“Yeah, exactly.”

Kenjirou sighs, prying his gaze from the little family back to Eita, “That’s gonna be us soon, Eita.”

“I know. I can’t believe it.” Eita reaches over to grab Kenjirou’s hand and give it a little squeeze.

Kenjirou lets his tears flow freely now, seeing that they’re not intending to stop anytime soon. He absentmindedly plays with his rings on his necklace with his other hand.

There’s entire packs in the park. It’s not unusual to celebrate all the mothers and the head omega in a pack on Mother’s Day. Unfortunately, Kenjirou is unable to join in celebrating it with Satori and Kenji. Kenjirou’s sure it might even sting for Satori. He can’t even drop by to celebrate Eita’s mom today since he won’t get home until almost seven thirty, at which point he knows he’s going to be dead tired.

There’s some time before they need to head back.

“We should call Satori and Kenji,” Kenjirou says, “We have enough time for at least one phone call. They’re probably still together. We can give your mom a call tonight.”

Eita’s surprised. “Are you okay? You normally don’t buy into holidays.”

“Fuck you. I’m feeling sappy right now.”

“Aw, is it the pregnancy?”

That earns him a glare and Eita laughs. Eita comes around to Kenjirou’s side of the table and they sit with their backs to the table. They video call Satori. Satori and Kenji are, in fact, still together, along with the rest of the pack.

_“Hey, happy Mother’s Day!”_ Satori and Kenji are both wearing shit-eating grins.

The call goes pretty smoothly. The pack filters in and out as things happen, but Satori and Kenji stay on the call the whole time. Mako, Emiko, and Shiori also excitedly join in. It’s not a long call, but Kenjirou feels better calling them and having a sense of being close. He’s actually a little sad he couldn’t physically spend it with them, though.

Eita walks Kenjirou back to the hospital afterward. They share a kiss and Eita promises to take the bouquet home to put it in water for safe keeping. Kenjirou’s coworkers tease him for the rest of his shift.

Kenjirou gets home a little late that night, around eight. Eita greets him at the door, giving him a kiss.

“I just finished dinner,” Eita says, massaging his fingers into Kenjirou’s tense shoulders. Kenjirou lets out a moan.

“You really don’t have to do all of this, Eita. I told you, the baby’s not even born yet.”

“I want to.” He places a kiss against Kenjirou’s temple before leading him off to the kitchen.

The lights are dimmed. They usually sit at the round edge of the kitchen table—ignoring their dining room one—so they can sit close, but Eita still has candles set out in the middle. There’s plates of food on the table of course. There’s rose petals on the floor too.

“You know it’s not White Day, right?” Kenjirou asks sarcastically, “Also, you’re going to have to clean up these rose petals.”

“Shut up, I thought they were a nice touch.”

Kenjirou still smiles a little and gives Eita’s hand a squeeze. Eita savors the moment.

Eita’s made Kenjirou’s favorite: shirasu.

“I know eggs are traditional, but I thought you might be tired of them after today,” Eita says.

“Yeah, there’s only so much I can take.”

When they’ve settled down at the table, Eita feeds a bite to Kenjirou and it’s actually really good.

“Satori sent over some sweets, too. I know you’re still craving them.”

Eita pulls out some chocolate truffle cake once they’ve finished dinner. Kenjirou will gladly take Satori’s sweets any day now.

They make a quick video call to Eita’s mother, but she can see just how tired Kenjirou is and insists he gets some rest. Eita draws a bath. Eita gets in first so he can help Kenjirou settle down in between his legs. It’s a tight fit.

Kenjirou hums when the warm water surrounds him. “That feels good. I needed this.”

Eita kneads at Kenjirou’s shoulders, causing him to let out a moan and lean back into Eita, closing his eyes as he rests his head on Eita’s shoulder.

Eita chuckles, “You’re tense.”

“I’m sore too. I’m carrying a lot of weight these days.”

Kenjirou’s hands go to rest on his belly as the baby moves. Eita jolts a little when he sees the way Kenjirou’s taut skin raises above their daughter’s tiny foot. Kenjirou opens his eyes looking up at him.

“You okay?” Kenjirou asks.

Eita nods. “Yeah. It’s just kind of weird sometimes _seeing_ her kick.”

“It _feels_ weirds.”

“I bet. It doesn’t look comfortable.”

“Not when it’s in my ribs. Or my bladder. But you get used to it, I guess.”

“You think you’re gonna miss it?”

“Maybe?” Kenjirou muses, “I think I’ll appreciate her being out more though.”

“How’s your back feel?”

“Awful.”

“Think you can get on your hands and knees?”

The water sloshes as Kenjirou changes positions. He doesn’t say a word though, only lets out a moan when Eita presses his palms into his lower back.

“That’s the spot,” Kenjirou murmurs.

Eita makes sure to work out any tension that Kenjirou has. Kenjirou feels like jelly when Eita’s done. He goes back to leaning into Eita when he’s finished up.

“Thanks, that felt really good,” Kenjirou says.

“When we get out, I can do your feet,” Eita pauses, “I took another class with Satori to learn how to do it right.”

“You kind of owe me that foot rub now.”

“I wanted to surprise you. Did you know there are pressure points in your feet that could make you go into labor?”

“Yes, I did know that. You’ll hit them when I want to go into labor right? I won’t be able to reach my feet by then.”

Eita leans forward to kiss Kenjirou’s temple. “Of course, just say the word.”

Kenjirou feels like he’s in heaven when they get out and Eita starts rubbing his feet. They’ve been so sore from being on them all day and his added weight. Eita’s massage class really paid off.

“I’m not even annoyed you took another class with Satori,” Kenjirou moans as Eita hits a sweet spot.

Eita smirks. “I thought you’d appreciate it.”

Kenjirou’s aches are gone for the most part by the time they’re settled into bed.

“You did a lot for me today, Eita.”

“It’s because I love you. Happy Mother’s Day.”

“Thank you. I love you too.”


	26. Chapter 26

**Monday, May 15, 2023**

Eita feels confident about their third class. He’s going to tackle it this time. He’s not going to get sick. He’s going to deal with it like a champion.

“Gonna throw up again?” Satori wears a shit-eating grin as they walk through the door of the classroom.

“Fuck you.”

This time there’s no visuals and Eita is fine. He can deal with this. He can handle hearing about all the different delivery complications like labor not progressing. As long as he doesn’t have to see the C-section video again, he’s fine! He cringes at the thought of tears to the birth canal, but there’s only illustrated pictures. Abnormal heart rate doesn’t sound bad at all either. As long as Kenjirou is okay and their baby is delivered safely, he can handle any of these things.

It’s when they discuss labor positions that Satori decides to make the whole thing unbearable.

“Would anyone like to help demonstrate these positions on the board?” Suzuki asks.

Satori’s hand shoots straight up. “Ooh! Ooh! Me!”

It’s a fruitless attempt when Eita tries to pull his hand back down and scolds, “Don’t!”

No one else in the class has volunteered.

“I guess we’ll have Ushijima-san and Semi-san volunteer then,” Suzuki announces.

Eita curses underneath his breath. He regrets this. He absolutely regrets this. He wishes Kenjirou would have just agreed to come with him, anything to save him from taking these classes with Satori. And there’s _three_ more following this one.

Suzuki brings a chair out and guides Satori to lean forward against the seat. He guides Eita behind him to rub at his back with one hand and hold his hand in the other. It’s not entirely bad until Satori starts to _moan_ in mock pain.

Eita’s jaw drops in shock. Satori can’t be serious right now. Even as Suzuki tries to explain the benefits of that position, Satori continues to moan about the pain and “Eita, make it stop.”

“I’m done,” Eita announces, standing up from where he was kneeling next to Satori.

“I’m just showing you what Ken’s gonna go through.”

Eita holds his hands up in defeat as he walks out of the room. “I’m done.”

* * *

“He _moaned_ in front of the class, Ken,” Eita announces as he walks through the door.

Kenjirou laughs at him before he can even greet him at the door. “I guess the class is going good?”

“I walked out and waited in the car.”

Kenjirou kisses Eita’s temple. “I don’t blame you, but that’s what you get for taking the class with _Satori_. You should’ve asked Reon or even Wakatoshi. Anyone but Satori.”

“I don’t even know if I want to go back next week,” Eita sighs in defeat as they walk to the kitchen to eat dinner.

“Then don’t. No one’s forcing you.” Kenjirou sits down at the table where he’s already set everything.

Eita sits down across from him. “I want to be prepared though.”

“We can Google everything that doesn’t come naturally. It’s going to be fine.”

“Babe, I don’t know how you’re being so calm about this. You have anxiety.”

“It’s fine. We’ll get through it. We always do.”

* * *

**Monday, May 22, 2023**

Eita reluctantly goes back the following week. He’s determined to stick the class out, despite Satori. Satori is as chipper as ever. This class discusses birth plans and relaxation techniques. Eita finds himself eager to learn about how he can support Kenjirou. It’s going to be fine, he has to assure himself, there’s no way Satori can mess up this class.

“Can I have a juggling clown in the room?” Satori asks during the relaxation technique discussion.

“What?” Eita turns to Satori, jaw dropped and eyes wide.

Satori shrugs. “I think it would be a distraction.”

Even Suzuki is taken aback. He’s probably heard every question possible, except this one. “It would certainly be a distraction. You can have whoever you want in the delivery room.”

Satori jots it down in his notebook.

The rest of the class goes fairly smoothly and Eita’s thankful. He’s learned lots of ways to help Kenjirou, like breathing exercises. He’s going to do whatever it takes to make sure he’s there for Kenjirou, even if means taking this stupid class with Satori.

* * *

“They said we should start thinking about birth plans in the class,” Eita says.

Kenjirou is reclined against the couch’s armrest with a couple of pillows behind his back for support and his feet plopped into Eita’s lap. Eita’s massaging Kenjirou’s legs and feet just right, causing Kenjirou to let out moans of pleasure every so often.

“And?” Kenjirou asks.

“I thought would should talk about ours.”

“We go to the hospital when I’m in labor. It’s not rocket science, Eita. You don’t expect me to have a home birth, do you?”

“It’s not that. Like when to cut the cord or pain management or—“

Kenjirou sighs, running a hand through his bangs. “I might want Taichi in the room with us.”

“What?”

“Taichi. You know, my best friend.”

“But he’s an alpha.”

“He’s also my _best friend_ and our _pack mate._ ”

Eita stops what he’s doing to look at Kenjirou. “I know, but,” he trails off.

“Are you feeling threatened? You know you’re still my mate right?”

“Yeah, but…Taichi?”

Kenjirou nods. “Taichi.”

“Do you think he even wants to be in the room?”

“I don’t want him to look or anything, just emotional support.”

“What about another omega? Tsutomu and Satori would be a good hype team.”

Kenjirou groans, “Tsutomu?”

“Okay, it doesn’t have to be Tsutomu, but maybe Kenji? He’s had four babies.”

“I don’t think Kenji is good for moral support. Taichi’s an asshole, but I can bounce off that. Like you.”

Eita feels almost offended. “Am I not enough to support you?”

“Eita, this is going to be one of the hardest things I go through. What’s wrong with having Taichi there?”

“He’s an alpha.”

Kenjirou pushes himself into a sitting position, pulling his feet to the side of the couch. “Why does it matter?”

“I don’t know. I just feel weird about it.”

“ _I’m_ the one giving birth if you didn’t know.”

“I know that, Kenjirou, but,” Eita doesn’t finish.

“But what?”

“I want to be enough to support you.”

“You just suggested the other omegas in our pack.”

“I know. It just felt less threatening.”

“ _Threatening?_ ” Kenjirou narrows his eyes on Eita. “What’s threatening about Taichi? We’ve been together for ten years and Taichi’s my best friend. I think the roles are established here.”

“I can’t really put it into words,” Eita sighs. He wrings his hands together, playing with his wedding band. “Other omegas have a calming affect, and honestly, I knew you wouldn’t want Kenji or Tsutomu there, and Satori’s _my_ best friend so,” he pauses, “I just want to know I’m enough to hype you up. You’re going to be going through a lot and I’m your mate. I want to take care of you.”

“Eita.” Kenjirou takes Eita’s hands into his own. He lifts them to his lips, giving his knuckles kisses. “You’re ridiculous. You do take care of me. We can talk about the Taichi thing later. There’s still time.”


	27. Chapter 27

**Tuesday, May 23, 2023**

Despite the fact that it’s almost summer, it’s not particularly warm in the emergency department—they’re constantly cranking the air conditioner to keep things sterile after all—but Kenjirou still finds himself burning up. Not only that, his head is pounding. He’s taken a Tylenol against his better judgement, but the pain just won’t go away. He’s exhausted, too. His break is an hour away and he’s thinking about skipping lunch to pass out on one of the couches in the break room. He feels absolutely awful.

He rubs at his belly as it tightens for the fourth time this morning. Braxton-Hicks contractions aren’t unusual at thirty-two weeks, but he’s having a lot of them today. The only reason he knows it’s not the real thing is that they’re inconsistent and don’t actually hurt; they’re just uncomfortable and don’t last long once he starts moving again.

He goes to check on a patient to give them a prognosis, but ends up walking into the wrong room by accident. He apologizes, embarrassed. When he does get to the right patient, their entire pack looks taken aback by his appearance. The head omega immediately jumps up from her seat and urges him to sit down.

“I’m fine,” Kenjirou promises.

“I insist, Semi-sensei.” She wraps her arms around him and leads him to a chair.

Normally, he would argue being touched like this by a stranger, but right now he just feels so out of it. He gives his report, which luckily, isn’t exactly bad news. When he goes to stand up—maybe a little too fast—he feels dizzy and before he knows it, everything is black.

* * *

Kenjirou wakes to a beeping. He slowly opens his eyes to find himself in a different hospital room; this time, _he’s_ in a bed. He finds Eita sitting bedside, holding his hand. He sees that he’s connected to an IV.

Immediately, his hand goes to his belly, checking for any movement from the baby. He presses a little to prompt her. He lets out a sigh of relief when she gives a little kick against his palm. It’s almost as if she’s annoyed for the disturbance.

“Hey, you’re awake,” Eita says when he notices Kenjirou stir. He gives a small smile.

“What happened?” Kenjirou asks.

“You passed out,” Eita answers a little more seriously, “You hit your head, too. They think you have a concussion.”

Kenjirou puts his hand to his head, instinctively feeling where there’s a knot. He hisses when it stings. He does have a headache now that he thinks about it and he can’t remember what happened when he fainted.

“But why?” Kenjirou presses, “I’m fine.”

“You are _not_ fine,” Eita tightens his grip on Kenjirou’s hand, “Ken, you spend almost six hours at a time on your feet. That’s not good for anyone, let alone someone who’s pregnant.”

“I sit down sometimes.”

“You’re also severely dehydrated. They said it was a bad combination.”

Kenjirou looks down to his belly, hand resting across the swell again. “Everything’s okay with the baby, right? Kotone’s alright?”

“You want to go with Kotone for sure?”

“Eita, this isn’t the time. Is she okay?”

“She’s fine, but I’m worried about you,” Eita hesitates, “You’re not going to like what I have to say, but I think it’s time for you to take leave.”

Kenjirou opens his mouth to argue, but Eita cuts him off. “It’s not like it’s the money. My career is enough. We could live on either one of our incomes alone. I know your career is important to you and I want to support you, but I can’t do that if your or our daughter’s wellbeing is at risk.”

“I can take care of myself, Eita.”

“Can you, Kenjirou?” Eita snaps, “You’re in the hospital!” Eita cuts Kenjirou off again, “I know you work here, smart ass.”

Kenjirou looks close to tears at this point. Eita sighs and reaches over to cup his cheek in his hand.

“I’m just worried. You don’t know how scared I felt when you passed out. The feeling through our bond was awful. And when they called me, I was terrified; I thought the worst, Kenjirou. I know you’re going to be fine, but I love you more than anything.”

“I love you too.”

“Please consider it.”

Kenjirou nods. “Yeah.”

“They said they have to keep you for a couple days anyway.”

“ _Days_?” Kenjirou asks in surprise, “How was I that bad?”

“They said you were really dehydrated.”

“I guess there were signs.”

“How much did you ignore?”

“Do you want a list?”

“It doesn’t matter anymore,” Eita sighs, “Hopefully, you’re okay now. I just feel awful I never noticed how bad off you were.”

“I should’ve known. I’m sure I’m fine now though.”

Eita runs his fingers through Kenjirou’s hair, careful of the knot. “Don’t scare me like that again, okay? I’m serious.”

Kenjirou nods again before leaning back into the bed. He cringes when he touches the bump on his head. He shifts a little to stare up at the ceiling. “So how long until I’m discharged?”

“Until you’re better.”

“Didn’t you just call _me_ a smart ass?”

“Like I told you, they said it was going to be a couple days,” Eita reiterates, “But I won’t let them release you until they clear you. We’re not having this happen again.”

Kenjirou closes his eyes and focuses on the baby’s little movements. She’s not kicking right now, but she’s stirring. She usually likes to be awake at night when he’s trying to sleep. He’s thankful she seems to be okay.

“I have to call the pack still,” Eita says, “I meant to call them earlier, but I was so worried about you.”

Kenjirou remembers scolding Wakatoshi all those months ago over not informing everyone about Satori being hospitalized, but now he finds it sweet that Eita has done the same. Eita was so concerned about him.

“They’re probably going to want to rush over,” Eita continues, “I’m going to tell a nurse you’re up, but do you want me to tell the pack to hold off or are you okay?”

Kenjirou remembers how annoyed he was when Wakatoshi hadn’t alerted everyone right away. Eita is still going to let them know, but he figures it would be best to let them come see him.

“Yeah, they can come.”

Eita nods. He stands up, leaning over to give Kenjirou a kiss on the forehead. “I’ll be right back, babe, stay put.”

“I’m kind of stuck to the IV.”

“I know you know how to take those out.”

“I’ll stay right here,” Kenjirou promises.

Eita seems satisfied. He leaves to go take care of things.

Kenjirou lowers the bed and turns to his side. The bed was propped up where he was in a half sitting position, but he still doesn’t want to stay on his back too long; the baby’s getting heavier—over a kilogram and a half now—and she could definitely be laying on a major vein.

He was hoping he could find his phone on the bedside table, but it’s not there and he figures Eita must have it. He shouldn’t be messing with his phone right now anyway if he truly has a concussion, and it feels like he does. He’s had one before in high school from volleyball and even though it was so long ago, it’s a familiar feeling.

He absentmindedly plays with the rings on his necklace. They at least left the chain on when they stripped him and put him into a hospital gown.

A nurse comes by to check him before Eita returns.

“Your vitals are looking good. You probably read those,” She laughs.

He hadn’t even thought, honestly. He feels pretty out of it.

“I’ll send the doctor in to check you shortly.”

“And my baby?” Kenjirou asks, “She’s alright, too?”

The nurse smiles. “She looks fine, don’t worry. We mainly have to keep you for a couple days to make sure you’re hydrated again. We do want to observe you for the possible concussion though. You know how it goes.”

“Yeah.” Kenjirou nods. “Eita can stay with me, right?” He doesn’t realize how scared he sounds until the words come out of his mouth. He knows the hospital’s protocol—mated couples can always stay together—but at this point, he’s just a little on edge.

She pats his leg. “Of course.”

Eita is back just as the nurse is leaving.

“I gave Satori a call and he promised to call everyone else,” He says, sitting bedside and taking hold of Kenjirou’s hand, “He also said he’d stop by the house to pick up some things for us. He’s really worried about you. He’s on his way with Wakatoshi.”

“I knew he would be worried,” Kenjirou mumbles.

Eita laughs, “He’s our head omega after all. He just wants to take care of everyone.”

“Do you have my phone?” Kenjirou asks finally.

“Yeah.” Eita digs into his jeans pocket and pulls out both Kenjirou’s phone and smart watch. “Sorry. You were probably bored while you were waiting,” He says as he hands them to Kenjirou.

“Kind of.” Kenjirou lays his devices on the bedside table next to him, feeling good to have them back. “I shouldn’t be messing with them if I have a concussion though.”

“So you want to go with Kotone?”

“Yeah, I’ve been thinking about it. I like it a lot,” Kenjirou admits, “I was thinking that we could use the characters for ‘play music’ and ‘sound.’”

Eita’s eyes widen. “Really?”

“That’s okay, right?”

“Absolutely! I love it!”

“What are you two talking about?” Satori’s already standing in the doorway with Wakatoshi. Satori has a couple of bags from the bakery while Wakatoshi has a large duffle bag from Eita and Kenjirou’s place.

Eita turns to them with a smile. “Baby names.”

“You pick one finally?” Satori asks as he sits one of the bags down on the counter on the side of the room.

“Yeah,” Kenjirou confirms, “We did.”

Satori brings the other one over to Kenjirou in an attempt to get him to eat. He surprisingly turns Satori down. “I’m going to make sure you eat something later. But don’t keep the name a secret!”

Wakatoshi places the duffle bag in the room’s closet. Satori goes and sits the bakery bag down with the other one.

“You’re okay with sharing, right, babe?” Eita looks to Kenjirou, assessing his reaction.

Kenjirou shrugs. “They’re gonna know eventually.”

“We chose Kotone.” Eita turns back to Satori.

“Oh that’s cute!” Satori responds. He perches on the edge of the bed while Wakatoshi goes to sit on the couch against the wall.

“How are you going to spell it?” Wakatoshi asks.

Kenjirou’s lifts his head a little, trying to look Wakatoshi’s way, but hisses at the tenderness. He lays back down when he answers, “With the characters ‘play music’ and ‘sound.’”

“Is it because of Eita?”

“That’s kind of cheesy.” Satori scrunches up his nose.

“Shut up.” Kenjirou swats in Satori’s direction, hoping to hit his arm. “She’s my baby.”

“You just said it was a cute name,” Eita adds, annoyed, “You can’t take it back.”

“I think it’s a beautiful name,” Wakatoshi replies, “Who came up with it?”

“Eita suggested it a few weeks ago and I’ve been thinking about the characters,” Kenjirou answers.

Wakatoshi nods. “I think it’s nice.”

“Thank you, Wakatoshi.” Eita glares at Satori.

The doctor comes in to check Kenjirou. She tests his vision, hearing, and reflexes among other things. Once she unhooks him from the monitors—not the IV though—Eita helps him stand, but Kenjirou doesn’t have a good sense of balance right now. Eita and Satori help him back down before he has a chance to fall.

The doctor clicks her tongue. “It looks like a concussion.”

Kenjirou knew that was coming. He’s diagnosed a ton of them himself. “But you can’t run a CT scan or MRI because of the baby.”

She shakes her head. “Once shouldn’t hurt anything, but it’s something we’d like to avoid. We’ll watch your condition and see how things look.”

Kenjirou bites his lip. His hand doesn’t leave his belly as he sits on the edge of the bed. Satori rubs at his back, giving him a kiss on the cheek. Eita squeezes Kenjirou’s other hand.

“They’re both going to be okay though, right?” Eita asks, tense.

“We’re just going to have to see how things go. We’re going to keep him until he’s no longer dehydrated, so all we can do is observe at this point. We might have to run an MRI or CT scan if he doesn’t improve to make sure there’s no bleeding on the brain.”

“Kenjirou’s life is the most important one here,” Eita says, “If it’s important to check him, you should check him.”

“Eita,” Kenjirou sobs suddenly. Satori wraps his arm around Kenjirou’s shoulders and Kenjirou buries his face into the crook of Satori’s neck. He wraps his arms around Satori as he cries.

“What did I say?” Eita asks, confused, “I thought we were on the same page here.”

“We are,” Kenjirou’s voice is muffled, “But I don’t want to think about that possibility right now.”

The doctor awkwardly takes her leave, promising to come by and check Kenjirou later.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Satori assures, “It’s going to be fine.” He kisses the top of Kenjirou’s head.

“Did I walk into something I didn’t want to?” Taichi remarks as he walks through the door.

“I upset Kenjirou,” Eita admits.

“You definitely did,” Wakatoshi confirms at the same time Satori exclaims, “Damn right!”

“Pregnancy hormones getting to you?” Taichi asks.

“Fuck you, Taichi.” Kenjirou is barely audible from where he has his face buried into Satori’s scent glands.

Taichi sighs and brushes past Eita to sit on Kenjirou’s other side. He runs his hand up and down Kenjirou’s back. “I don’t know what Eita said, but I know he only said it because he cares about you. He’s just an idiot.”

“Hey!” Eita tries to defend himself.

“I’m trying to help you, asshole.”

“He immediately jumped to choosing me over the baby,” Kenjirou mutters.

“Oh god, I don’t want to be a part of this,” Taichi groans.

Eita rubs at Kenjirou’s knee. “I promise I want the best for both of you, but if it came down to it, I couldn’t lose you. We haven’t met her and we could have another baby. _You_ can’t be replaced.”

Kenjirou settles down some. “I know.” He lets go of Satori and sits up, wiping at his eyes. His head is pounding and his ears are ringing. “It’s not that serious yet.”

“I’m sorry, baby.” Eita reaches for Kenjirou’s hand. “I didn’t know.”

Suddenly, Kenjirou feels his stomach lurch. His face pales and he reaches out, barely able to mutter the words, “Trash can.”

Eita’s quick to react and hands it to him in seconds. Kenjirou awkwardly hugs it around his belly as he vomits. The pack watches him in concern. Eita goes to get a cool paper towel as Satori and Taichi both rub at his back.

Kenjirou breathes a little heavily when he’s finished. Eita pushes his bangs back and dabs his forehead with the paper towel.

“Are you okay?” Eita asks.

“Shouldn’t you be done with morning sickness?” Taichi questions.

“Not morning sickness,” Kenjirou mumbles.

“He hasn’t had it since the first trimester,” Eita adds.

“It can happen with concussions.” Kenjirou doesn’t let go of the trash can.

Kenjirou feels absolutely terrible. Taichi moves out of the way so Kenjirou can lay back down, curled up on his left side. Satori retrieves a blanket from the duffle bag, passing it around to be scented before covering Kenjirou in it. He crawls up behind him on the bed. It’s a tight fit, but Satori makes it work. Eita continues to rub at Kenjirou’s hand.

Taichi joins Wakatoshi on the couch.

“What are you reading?” Taichi peers over, checking the app on Wakatoshi’s phone.

“It better not be another ad, miracle boy,” Satori calls. He scents Kenjirou.

“It’s not. It’s the latest chapter of My Hero Academia. Satori really likes this one.”

“Kirishima‘s hair kind of reminds me of mine back in high school,” Satori pauses for a minute, “Hey Toshi, if we have a son and he has my hair, can we name him Eijirou?”

Wakatoshi hums, “That’s a good name.”

Eita hates every part of this conversation.

“You can’t seriously be thinking about naming a kid after a manga character.” Luckily, Taichi says what’s exactly on Eita’s mind. Kenjirou probably would have said it himself if he hadn’t drifted off to sleep.

“It’s a nice name,” Wakatoshi replies.

The conversation is shut down by Tsutomu and Kanji arriving. Slowly, the rest of the pack files in and visits, but they keep quiet to let Kenjirou get his rest.

Kenjirou seems fine by the time he’s no longer dehydrated. He’s told to stay home and rest, though, at least until his concussion clears up, so he decides that Eita is right and that it’s time to take leave.


	28. Chapter 28

**Wednesday, May 24, 2023**

Kenjirou is already bored out of his mind by the time his second day in the hospital rolls around. Screen time is limited because it’s too stressful on his eyes, so that’s out. Television is also not an option. Satori had packed Kenjirou’s tablet and Eita’s speakers, but he can’t concentrate on any audiobooks, which have to be played at a low volume; he can’t handle listening to anything through headphones right now either. There’s also only so much napping he can do. He can’t even wander the halls—if the lights and sounds weren’t so excruciating to his migraine—because she’s still tethered to monitors.

Eita stays at the hospital with him, but Kenjirou can tell even he’s bored.

The pack filters in and out to keep them company, but Kenjirou still feels out of it and some of them—Satori, Tsutomu, and Kanji—are loud, which makes him feel sick. Eita is constantly asking them to quiet down on Kenjirou’s behalf, but they just don’t understand how to keep their own volume under control.

Kenji and Takanobu visit after work, without the kids.

“I know how much you love them, but I didn’t think you’d be up to see them,” Kenji laughs lightly, making sure he’s not too loud.

Concussions during volleyball aren’t uncommon, so they’ve both suffered from one or two during their time playing. They remember how it feels.

“Nobu figured you’d be bored, so he brought something for you.”

“You guys didn’t have to do that,” Kenjirou insists.

Kenji shakes his head. “You might not even enjoy it, but it’s worth a shot.”

Kenji and Eita sit down on the couch adjacent to the bed while Takanobu settles on the edge of the bed, sitting cross-legged. He pulls out a few balls of yarn, a few crochet hooks, and a pair of scissors from the bag he brought.

“My mom taught me how to crochet the first time I got a concussion,” Takanobu’s voice is as soft as always. This is the most Kenjirou has heard him talk in one go. “I thought you might want to try. You don’t have to of course.”

Kenjirou already knew that Takanobu does stuff like this—he made the beautiful quilt for their baby shower after all—but he never imagined that Takanobu would want to teach him.

Kenji watches with a smile.

“Um, sure,” Kenjirou replies.

Kenjirou swears there’s a hint of a smile on Takanobu’s face. He hands Kenjirou a hook and honestly, it’s tiny. There’s a pink rubber grip leading up up to a little silver metal hook. On the grip there’s “3.75mm” in white writing.

“So what do I do?” Kenjirou asks.

Takanobu goes about wordlessly showing him how to cast on. He quietly explains the different stitches and how to read a pattern. It’s definitely the most Kenjirou has ever heard the alpha speak. Before Kenjirou knows it, Takanobu has led him through crocheting an entire baby booty. It’s not something Kenjirou has ever thought he would be doing.

“Let me see,” Eita says, coming over. He peers over the side of the bed to see the tiny piece Kenjirou’s holding. “Oh, it’s pretty good.”

It’s not as good as Takanobu’s. He’s been doing the craft probably half of his life, but Kenjirou feels pretty good about having done something with his hands like this. Plus, it didn’t hurt his head like most everything else he’s been trying to do.

“Not as good as Nobu’s, but yeah, it’s good!” Kenji remarks from Kenjirou’s other side.

“He did great,” Takanobu speaks.

Takanobu and Kenji don’t stay much longer, needing to pick up the girls and Hibiki from Takanobu’s parents. Takanobu leaves some of the supplies with Kenjirou, even though Kenjirou insists that’s not necessary.

However, he still finds himself working his way through the other booty. Eita watches him in fascination.

“That’s pretty cool.”

“It doesn’t hurt my head, either,” Kenjirou’s replies, “Even the audiobooks were bothering me.”

He manages to finish the second one just as the sun sets.

* * *

**Friday, May 26, 2023**

Kenjirou is going stir crazy. He was released from the hospital Thursday afternoon while still experiencing symptoms of his concussion, but no longer suffering from dehydration. Kenjirou still finds himself sensitive to artificial light—though he’s slowly reintroducing himself to it—as well as noise.

He’s vomited a few times, which made them hesitant to release him being that it would be hard to keep hydrated, but he and the baby seemed fine overall. He’s told to keep drinking at least eight to twelve glasses of water a day.

He’s napped as much as possible, but he’s still bored. He’s used to constantly doing something and now that he’s officially on leave with limited activity, he’s not sure what to do.

Eita has rearranged his schedule to stay home with Kenjirou for the first several days.

“Maybe we could go for a walk or something?” Eita offers, “It shouldn’t be too stressful. It’s nice out too.”

Kenjirou is curled around his body pillow on the bed. Eita is perched on the side of the bed, rubbing at his arm.

“I guess.”

Kenjirou changes out of his pajamas and into something he’s okay with being seen in. It’s not entirely too warm outside—only around twenty-four degrees—so he’s able to wear a T-shirt and sweatpants. He’s stopped caring for the most part at this point what anyone sees him in, but he still doesn’t want to wear pajamas. He’s pregnant and feels like a blimp; he might as well be comfortable.

It feels good to get out of the house. The sun isn’t too overbearing in the late afternoon, so Kenjirou’s head doesn’t pound from the light. It’s actually pretty nice.

“You feeling okay?” Eita is constantly checking with Kenjirou to make sure he’s alright.

Kenjirou gives his hand a squeeze as he offers a small smile. His other hand rubs at his belly. “Yeah, everything’s fine.”

Everything _is_ fine until there’s a barking dog on the next street over. And it’s loud. Kenjirou groans as his head pounds and his ears start to ring. His stomach lurches and he’s not proud of it, but he dives into a random neighbor’s trash can.

“I can’t believe I did that,” Kenjirou mutters, staring down at his puke.

“You had to throw up somewhere, babe.” Eita rubs at his back.

“I guess.”

“Should we just leave it there?” Eita asks.

“What are we supposed to do?”

Kenjirou places the lid back on the can. They head back home, pretending nothing happened. Eita holds back his laughter, causing Kenjirou to lightly punch him in the arm.

“It’s not funny.”

“I’m sorry, babe, it kind of is.”

* * *

**Monday, May 29, 2023**

Kenjirou has officially hit thirty-three weeks. He’s still limiting screen time, but he’s feeling a lot better almost a week after his concussion. He’s still not back to one-hundred percent, but he’s feeling better.

He’s found himself enjoying crocheting with what supplies Takanobu had left him at the hospital. He’s quickly gone through them though. He’s found some patterns online and he’s found a few he would like to try.

He decides he finally feels well enough to venture out of the house. Eita accompanies him to a local craft store. Neither have really had a need to come to one before, so they’re both surprised by the array of colors in the store. There’s plenty of fabrics when they walk in, but that’s obviously not what Kenjirou’s looking for. They wander around until they find the yarn which is along the back wall. There’s a ton of it, all in a rainbow of colors. There’s also a caddy nearby with books that he starts carding through.

“I don’t think I’m good enough for the stitch books yet,” Kenjirou muses.

“You caught on pretty fast,” Eita replies, flipping through one himself. The instructions look like gibberish to him, but Kenjirou seemed to understand pretty quickly. “What does yarn weight mean? There’s different sizes?”

“I guess?” It comes out more as a question than an answer. “Takanobu left them without the labels so I have no idea what size they would be.”

“All this baby stuff looks like it has a three. What’s size three yarn look like?”

After some Googling, Kenjirou finds out how to read a label. He picks up a random skein, flipping it around until he finds the number. He points it out to Eita. “I guess this is three.”

They pick up a couple of books and Eita helps Kenjirou choose complementing colors for the projects he picked out. It’s unsure how long this new hobby is going to last, but at least Kenjirou will be entertained during his concussion.

When they return home, they curl up on the couch and watch a movie. Kenjirou is working his way through a new project and Takanobu is messaging him every so often asking for updates.

**Kenji 3:45pm**

_its hard to get him so talkative_

Kenjirou works his way through a little pink rabbit hat.

“That’s tiny,” Eita says as he flips the piece around, examining the stitches. They’re fairly consistent and good work for a beginner. “It’s hard to believe she’s going to be that little when she comes out.”

“I know.” Kenjirou burrows against Eita. “It feels like she’s that big right now.”

Eita sits the hat down on the coffee table and wraps his arm around Kenjirou. “Sorry babe, seven more weeks. You’re almost there.”

“That’s almost two months, Eita.”

“You made it through eight already. That’s a long way.”

Kenjirou hums, hand resting on his belly. He presses to prompt the baby and he receives a tiny fist against his palm. He laughs lightly, “Are you irritated, baby?”

“She doesn’t want to be bothered,” Eita replies.

“Well I’m sorry for bothering you, Kotone,” Kenjirou says playfully to his belly.

“I never would have thought you would be good with kids,” Eita muses to Kenjirou, “I mean, now I know, but before you were around any, the way you are with other people I never would’ve guessed.”

“Kids don’t deserve to be treated bad.” Kenjirou looks to Eita.

“You’re gonna be a good mom, Ken.”

“I hope so. I know you’re going to be a good dad. I always love to watch you with the pack’s girls and Hibiki. You’re so gentle and kind and I know you’re going to treat Kotone even better.”

“You’re great with them too. I think you’re Shiori’s favorite.”

“Satori’s her favorite, just like all of them.”

“Other than Satori then.” Eita runs his hand up and down Kenjirou’s arm. “They all still love you though.”

“Oh, I know. They love all of us.”

“I can’t wait for the pack to love our daughter that way.”

“I can’t wait for her to be out,” Kenjirou sighs. He finally looks to the television screen. “We missed a lot.”

“I guess we did,” Eita laughs as he reaches for the remote, rewinding about fifteen minutes worth of the movie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I was doing research for concussions, I got excited seeing knitting was a suggested activity for recovery. I’ve been doing yarn crafts since I was fourteen so I got a little carried away. I prefer crochet over knitting which is why I chose that for the fic. Shirabu ultimately gives up the craft, but it’s something to entertain him for a couple weeks while he recovers. He probably could’ve just read a book or something instead, but like I said, I was excited to see that under recovery activities and got carried away.


	29. Chapter 29

~~~~**Saturday, June 3, 2023**

Kenjirou is almost recovered from his concussion. He’s glad because he’s tired of not being able to do anything.

He’s in the middle of one of his crochet projects—sending Takanobu pictures as he goes, as requested—when Eita’s bandmates come over. Eita gives him a kiss before retreating to his studio with them. The studio muffles a lot of sound, so the sound isn’t unbearable for his head from the living room.

However, halfway through their visit, he hoists himself up from the couch, needing to use the bathroom. He decides to use the one downstairs, which means he passes the studio. The music has stopped for now, so he assumes they’re taking a break.

_“Did you ever tell Ken about our next tour?”_ Kenjirou can hear Arisu ask. He stops in his tracks.

_“I’ve been trying to figure out how to break it to him,”_ Eita replies.

_“But did you tell him about how we changed the original tour dates?”_ Miyuki questions.

Kenjirou doesn’t barge in. He has to use the bathroom too bad; at almost thirty-four weeks, the baby is getting heavy and is pressing on his bladder more than ever. By the time he’s done, they’re back to playing, so he leaves the subject until later.

The band is still there by the time Kenjirou goes to make dinner for himself and Eita, so he ends up making enough for six, instead of two. The band is pretty thrilled that he made food, especially Aiko.

Aiko is a petite omega with long, layered hot pink hair falling all the way to her waist. She only stands around 152 centimeters.

“Thanks so much, Ken-chan!” She squeals. She makes sure to stand on her tiptoes to give him a kiss on the cheek.

“Yeah, it’s no big deal,” Kenjirou mutters.

Eita eyes him strangely, but doesn’t say anything. Kenjirou _knows_ he still seems off; he still _feels_ off. He knows Eita can sense his unease. That conversation he shouldn’t have overheard is heavy on his mind.

The band helps clean up after eating, but they don’t stay long afterward.

“I’m gonna get a shower,” Kenjirou announces after everyone has left.

“Don’t you want to get a bath? You’ve been achy, right?” Eita asks, “I could join you, maybe give you a massage or something.”

“Not tonight.” Kenjirou brushes past him to go upstairs.

They don’t speak again until they’re climbing into bed.

“I need to talk to you about something,” Eita says as he pulls back the comforter.

“I know.”

Eita freezes. He’s just settled onto the mattress when he looks up to find Kenjirou staring at him expectantly.

“Know about what?” Eita questions.

“Your next tour.”

“How?”

“I knew it had to be coming up. You weren’t going to stay off tour forever,” Kenjirou sighs, “I also overheard you.”

Eita’s eyes widen. “Overheard me?”

“I was going to the bathroom when I went past the studio. When was the tour supposed to be?”

“It doesn’t matter. It’s been postponed before it was announced. You know that now.”

Kenjirou grips the comforter in his fists, staring down. “Tell me, Eita.”

“It was supposed to start right around your due date.”

Kenjirou nods.

Eita continues, “I didn’t want to risk missing the birth of our child. That only happens once and—“

“How long did you hide it from me?”

“What?” Eita’s breath hitches.

Kenjirou turns to Eita, eyes filled with anger. “How long did you hide it from me?”

“My manager had dates set the day after your first appointment.”

“You kept it from me for _six months_?”

“I didn’t think it was important. I can go on tour anytime. Our baby will only be born once.”

“This isn’t about the tour, Eita. I don’t want you to miss our daughter’s birth and I definitely don’t want to do it alone. It’s that you kept it from me.”

“I’m sorry, Kenjirou, I didn’t—“

Kenjirou reaches for the bedside lamp on the nightstand, laying down on his side. “Stop, I need some time alone. Just get out.”

“What?”

“Get out.”

Eita slips out of bed and heads toward the closet to get dressed.

“Where are you going?” Kenjirou asks.

“You told me to get out. I’m leaving.”

“I meant go sleep in the guest room.”

“That’s not how I took it.”

Eita slams the door on his way out and Kenjirou finds himself crying into his pillow.

**Eita 10:36pm**

_I’m on my way over_

**Satori 10:36pm**

_The doors always open_

It’s late when Eita finds himself on Wakatoshi and Satori’s doorstep. He doesn’t know where else to go. He could have gone to sleep in the guest room like Kenjirou wanted, but he had to get out, get away.

He knows he’s in the wrong here. He should have said something, but he honestly just didn’t think it was that important. He cares more about seeing his daughter being born and being there for Kenjirou when the time comes than his career.

_Kenjirou and Kotone._ They’re the most important people to him.

“You know we like to actually sleep, right?” Satori answers the door in only his boxers.

“Shut up, you don’t care,” Eita grumbles as he brushes past him.

“Hey, you never told me what was wrong, just that you had to come over.”

Eita plops down onto the couch in the living room and Satori comes to sit next to him. He rubs at Eita’s back and scents him. The smell of distress rolls off of Eita.

Wakatoshi comes down the stairs, clad in a robe. He sits on Eita’s other side and awkwardly pats at his back.

“So what happened?” Satori presses.

“I originally had tour dates starting on July 14th of this year and I didn’t tell Kenjirou that I talked with the band about changing them,” Eita admits.

“So you lied to him?”

“I didn’t lie. I just didn’t tell him.”

“There’s not much of a difference,” Wakatoshi says.

“He’s probably so upset. I can’t believe you left him alone, Eita,” Satori scolds.

“He told me to get out,” Eita tries to defend himself.

“You have a guest room,” Wakatoshi replies.

Satori gets up, storming towards the stairs.

“Where are you going?” Eita asks.

“I’m getting dressed. Someone has to comfort your mate.” Satori ascends the stairs. He’s out the door in five minutes.

* * *

Kenjirou jolts from his sleep when he hears the front door open downstairs. He hadn’t been asleep long, having been too anxious over the whole situation with Eita, but he had tired himself out enough to drift off.

“Eita?” He calls out, assuming Eita has finally returned from wherever he went. He doesn’t get an answer.

He reaches for his phone on the nightstand, looking at the time. It’s only minutes until midnight. He’s getting ready to call emergency services when Satori pops through the door. Kenjirou chucks a pillow at him.

“You asshole! I thought someone was breaking in!”

“Nope! Just me!”

Satori picks up the pillow, coming over to climb onto the bed. He sits on his knees and opens his arm, making grabby hands to invite Kenjirou to climb into his lap.

“Eita came over,” Satori continues, “I figured you’d be upset.”

“Yeah,” Kenjirou mumbles as he awkwardly crawls forward, straddling Satori. He wraps his arms around his neck and buries his face into his scent glands. It’s an awkward fit with Kenjirou’s belly in the way. Kotone stirs between them.

Kenjirou can feel the tears starting again and he lets them fall. Soon Satori’s shoulder is soaked. He also finds himself shaking and taking deep, heaving breathes. Satori hushes him softly, whispering encouraging words.

“He told me everything,” Satori says, rubbing at Kenjirou’s back.

“He should’ve told me,” Kenjirou sobs, his whole body tensing, “I don’t want to be alone when I give birth, but I also don’t want to be the reason his career is hurt.”

He grips tightly at the back of Satori’s shirt. He also tears at the skin on his bottom lip.

“He doesn’t want to miss your baby being born,” Satori assures.

“I don’t want him to miss that either,” Kenjirou takes a shaky breath, “We’re only ever going to have her once.”

A hand comes up to grip at his hair, pulling at the roots. Satori reaches up and gently untangles his fingers. Instead, he laces their fingers together, giving Kenjirou’s hand a squeeze.

“He didn’t mean anything bad by it, but I know why you’re upset.”

“I don’t think he does.” Kenjirou breathes heavy, causing his whole body to quiver.

“He means well.”

It’s silent for a few minutes other than Kenjirou’s sobs. Satori continues to hush him gently, reminding him to take slow deep breaths. Kenjirou finds himself having a tough time with that and ends up diving over the side of the bed toward the trash in front of his nightstand. It’s a long drop so Satori reaches down to pick it up, handing it to Kenjirou to awkwardly hug. Kenjirou’s head is pounding, but eventually his breathing evens out. Satori takes the trash can and sits it back on the floor to take care of later.

Finally, Satori suggests, “I’ll stay with you tonight and let Eita figure out how to apologize in the morning. We can make a nest.”

“That sounds nice,” Kenjirou mumbles.

Satori nods, pulling out his phone to shoot Eita a message.

**Satori 12:24am**

_Stay at our place 2night I’ll stay w/ Ken u can apologize in the morning_

**Eita 12:24am**

_Is he okay?_

**Eita 12:24am**

_I’m really worried about him_

**Satori 12:26am**

_He’s fine now work on ur apology_

**Eita 12:26am**

_Let him know I love him_

“Eita says he loves you,” Satori says, setting his phone to the side.

Kenjirou looks down at his lap. “I love him too, but let him sit on that.”

Satori laughs as he slips off the bed. He places his phone on the nightstand and helps Kenjirou off the bed. They gather some supplies for the nest. Satori scents the spare blankets used for one and they get to work. Kenjirou makes sure to place Eita’s clothes near where he’s going to lay his head so he can have his familiar scent comfort him throughout the night. He may be mad at him, but he still hasn’t gone a night sleeping without him in two years.

Satori cuddles up with Kenjirou when they’re done. They both fall asleep rather quickly. Kenjirou’s definitely tired out from his episode.

Eita returns early in the morning, too filled with regret and too worried about Kenjirou to stay away much longer. Wakatoshi tries to get him to eat breakfast before leaving, but Eita refuses, wanting to get home as soon as possible.

Kenjirou is still asleep when Eita walks through the door. Satori is awake, however, helping himself to making breakfast for the two of them.

“You know this isn’t your house, right?” Eita asks as he enters the kitchen.

Satori shrugs, continuing his task. “I have a key, might as well be.”

“Start paying the bills.”

“It’s already paid off.”

Eita sighs, going over to the table and pulling out a chair. He plops down into it. “Is Ken up yet?”

“Nope! He was pretty upset last night,” Satori replies, still not looking Eita’s way, “You can wake him up. I’m almost finished.”

“I’m probably the last person he wants to see right now.” Eita rests his head in his hand, elbow pressing into the table.

“He slept with your T-shirt last night. He missed you.”

“How bad was it?”

“He had an anxiety attack.”

Eita’s heart feels like it’s breaking. Kenjirou has been so good with anxiety and panic attacks for the last couple of years. He had one six weeks ago and when they found out Kotone is an omega, but those are definitely exceptions.

Eita can’t believe he really left Kenjirou alone last night after he made a mistake. He feels like an ass being the cause of his distress like that.

“I’m going to go check on him,” Eita says as he stands.

“Make sure to tell him breakfast is ready!”

Eita makes his way to their bedroom where Kenjirou is still sound asleep. He’s hugging his body pillow, but one of Eita’s T-shirts is balled up near his head, in perfect range for him to breathe in the scent. Eita can see the dry tear stains marking his cheeks.

He sits on the edge of the bed, running his fingers through Kenjirou’s hair. Kenjirou’s eyes flutter open and he looks up at Eita.

“Hey.” Eita offers a smile.

“Hey.”

“I’m sorry about last night,” Eita starts, “And well, about everything. You’re upset because I didn’t tell you, right?”

“Yeah,” Kenjirou sighs. His hand wanders to rest of Eita’s thigh. “I don’t want to hurt your career, but it’s honestly what I would have wanted you to do. I just wish you would’ve told me.”

“I’m sorry. We’ll discuss it next time.”

“Thanks.”

It’s silent. Eita continues to okay play with Kenjirou’s hair.

“I love you more than anything, Kenjirou,” Eita continues, “You and Kotone. I would never do anything to purposely hurt you.”

“I know. I know you do. I’m sorry too. I should’ve stepped back and saw where you were coming from.”

“Want to call it even?”

“Yeah.”

Eita leans down to brush his lips against Kenjirou’s.

“Ew! Gross!” Satori exclaims from the doorway, watching the two, “I just wanted to let Ken know breakfast is done because you were taking too long, not to watch you two make out.”

“ _You’re_ married,” Kenjirou retorts.

“It was a closed mouth kiss,” Eita adds.

“Anyway, come get breakfast before it’s cold.”

Eita helps Kenjirou get up and they both know, it’s going to be okay. It always is.


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoping the formatting is okay on this chapter. It kept holding and italicizing a huge chunk of text and I messed with it for like twenty minutes and it kept messing up. It’s hard to fix on mobile, so fingers crossed it’s okay because I’m not rereading the chapter on the site.

**Tuesday, June 6, 2023**

Eita’s last two classes with Satori surprisingly go well. He learns all about the baby’s anatomy and their basic case as a newborn as well as how to take care of Kenjirou after the birth. He feels fairly prepared.

**Ryuunosuke 6:34pm**

_After a GRUELING twelve hour labor Kiyoko gave birth to our amazing little boy Hiroto!!_

**Ryuunosuke 6:34pm**

_** Attachment ** _

The baby looks more like Kiyoko than anyone, right down to the beauty mark. It’s hard to tell which of the baby’s fathers provided the DNA. In the end, it doesn’t matter; Ryuunosuke and Chikara are both Hiroto’s fathers.

**Hitoka 6:35pm**

_She’s still really sore, but both she and baby are doing great!_

“The class said ice should help with soreness after birth,” Eita says to Kenjirou, “Do you think I should tell them? That might help her.”

“You sound like a know-it-all after that class. They probably already know.”

* * *

**Monday, June 12, 2023**

“I’ll be fine,” Kenjirou insists, shoving his feet into his laceless sneakers, “Taichi’s coming with me.”

“You’re thirty-five weeks pregnant and still recovering from a concussion.” Eita has his arms crossed over his chest, pouting.

Kenjirou lays his hand on Eita’s arm. “It’s been three weeks and I’m mainly recovered. Stop worrying. Besides, the band’s coming over. You have album stuff you have to work on. I’ll be fine.”

“I can’t help but to worry. You’re late in your pregnancy and I don’t want anything happening to you or Kotone,” Eita sighs.

“I know. I appreciate it.” Kenjirou kisses Eita’s temple.

Taichi knocks on the door, interrupting them. Normally, Kenjirou would just meet him somewhere, but with how big his belly is these days, it’s hard to drive and it’s easier to have Taichi pick him up.

“Hey,” Kenjirou greets, opening the door.

“Hey, you ready?” Taichi asks.

“Yeah.” Kenjirou turns to Eita. “I’ll be back later. Love you.”

“Love you too. Call me if you need anything.”

“Of course.”

“Be careful!” Eita waves.

Kenjirou waves back as he waddles down the walkway with Taichi. “Stop worrying!”

“Can you get in the car yourself?” Taichi pauses by the driver’s door.

“I’m not helpless.” Kenjirou opens the passenger side. He pushes the seat back before hoisting himself inside. Taichi watches carefully to make sure.

“You’re as bad as Eita,” Kenjirou groans as he gets settled.

Taichi finally climbs into the car and settles behind the wheel. “Sorry for worrying about you and your unborn child.”

“My unborn child and I are fine.”

Taichi sighs. His hand rests against the back of Kenjirou’s headrest as he backs out of the driveway. “What do you plan on doing for him for Father’s Day? He really went all out for you on Mother’s Day, right?”

“I want to show him he’s going to be a good dad, so I’m going to hype him up some, maybe some of those ‘#1 Dad’ shirts or mugs. He’ll eat that shit up. He would love to brag about it. I think he would like matching clothes with her too.”

Taichi lets out a dry laugh, “Baby leather jacket.”

“He would love that.”

“So just clothes?”

“No, I’m going to start the baby book too. He’s mentioned it a couple times and always seems so excited. We got photos done last week and I tipped the photographer a lot to get them done quickly so I can surprise him.”

“You got maternity photos?” Taichi asks skeptically, looking away from the road to glance at Kenjirou.

“Shut up. Eita really wanted them.”

“Actually, I’m surprised there haven’t been any magazine photoshoots.”

“Eita’s turned them down. He knows I don’t want them.”

“Smart guy.”

Their first stop isn’t a long ways away from Kenjirou and Eita’s house. They stop by a local baby store first.

“They really do have baby leather jackets,” Taichi muses, lifting up a hanger with the tiniest leather jacket Kenjirou has ever seen.

“That might be too small for her though,” Kenjirou replies. He skims through the racks, trying to find a bigger one.

“Will you be able to push her out if she’s any bigger?”

“It’s not so much about how big she’s going to be when she’s born, it’s that I don’t want her wearing leather in the middle of July.”

Taichi hums, hanging the newborn-sized jacket back on the rack. “What size would you want?”

“I think October or November should be cool enough, so at least three to four months.”

“Do you and your mate need help?” An employee comes over, smiling.

Kenjirou and Taichi glance at each other. Only Kenjirou has a mating mark, though it can be hard to see.

Taichi thumbs toward Kenjirou, asking, “You think he’s my mate?”

“He wishes,” Kenjirou deadpans.

The employee looks uncomfortable, apologizing profusely. Kenjirou and Taichi insist they don’t need help and the employee goes back to the register, apologizing again.

“Could you imagine us as mates?” Kenjirou asks dryly before returning to his search for the right size jacket.

It takes a moment for Taichi to reply, “Yeah, that would be weird.”

“Why did it take you so long to answer?” Kenjirou turns to Taichi.

“I was just thinking and it would be weird.”

Kenjirou shrugs. “Yeah, it would be weird.” He picks up a jacket for four month old girls. “This has to be around twice the size she’ll be at birth.”

“Babies grow fast, huh?”

Kenjirou groans when he feels his eyes sting.

Taichi looks slightly concerned. “You okay? You’re not going into labor on me, are you?”

“No,” Kenjirou sighs as he wipes at his eyes, “She’s not even born yet and I’m getting emotional over her growing up.”

“That’s lame.”

“I know.” Kenjirou tries to ignore the tears that slip down his cheeks. He instead focuses on examining the jacket in his hand. “I think this one should be good.”

They wander around the store, picking up some more items, like a onesie that says “Daddy’s Little Girl” and a couple of outfits with music themes. The store also conveniently has some items for Father’s Day, including the tacky “#1 Dad” items Kenjirou planned on getting.

Their next stop is the craft store. Kenjirou doesn’t want to walk around too much more—he’s starting to feel sore—so they ask about scrapbooks when they walk in. An employee kindly points them in the right direction. Taichi glares at him when he starts to reach for Kenjirou’s belly.

“I don’t even know where to start.” Kenjirou picks up the closest random scrapbook album. “They’re all so tacky.”

“Eita likes tacky. Look at the way he dresses.”

“You sound like Satori,” Kenjirou quips, putting the album back down.

Many of the albums are on the bottom shelves and he knows he’s not going to be able to get back up if he stoops down to look.

Taichi seems to notice because he sighs, “Which one?”

“Find something less gaudy.”

Taichi nods and leans down to grab a few of the simplest looking albums. Kenjirou picks out one, scrutinizing it, before switching it out with another one Taichi is holding. He finally lands on one that he likes. It’s simple, a basic baby pink with different photo slots in the front.

“I still don’t know what to do with a baby book,” Kenjirou admits when they’re making their way back to the car.

“We’ll figure it out,” Taichi replies, unlocking the doors.

They pick up the photos from the photographer—a thumb drive and hard copies—before making their way to the Ushijima residence. Kenjirou doesn’t want to risk working on things at home, not wanting to ruin the surprise, and Satori is a little more creative than him. He had managed to sneak a few more sets of photos, including spare sonograms, to Satori on a recent visit to the Semi home.

They find themselves sat around the coffee table, photos and sonograms sprawled out among other scrapbook pieces.

“There’s a lot,” Taichi comments.

“There’s a lot I feel needs to be included,” Kenjirou replies.

He picks up a copy of a photo of himself and Eita from Eita’s graduation day. It’s a photo that Satori had sniped on a digital camera not long after they finally confessed.

Kenjirou feels the day they got together should definitely be included in the story of their baby.

He reaches for a photo from their wedding. This one is picture perfect. It’s the kiss at their ceremony, right as they were being announced husbands. Their wedding day needs to be included too.

There’s also a photo from the recent shoot they did with the photographer. It’s kind of cliché. He and Eita are standing on a bridge in the park, the bright, green trees surrounding the little stream. Eita’s is kneeled in front of Kenjirou with his hands on either side of Kenjirou’s belly, kissing his bump. Kenjirou has one hand resting on Eita’s arm and the other resting on top of his bump. Kenjirou loves the details of how visible their rings are—the one on Eita’s left hand and the ones around Kenjirou’s chain. He also has an extremely serene look on his face, which isn’t usually something he has for photos unless Eita’s around since he doesn’t really care for photos, but the photographer was really able to capture just how in love they are.

He actually feels himself tear up a little. He wipes at his eyes again, cursing his stupid hormones. He can’t wait until he can go back to his usual self and stop crying over everything.

Kenjirou has embarrassingly enough spent some time browsing Pinterest and saw the special notes parents leave their babies and he wants to leave one. He wants Eita to leave one too, along with the both of them leaving the story that brought them to this point; the twelve years they’ve known each other is a long time though. He’s going to keep some details to themselves though, mainly the fucking.

“Are you going to put this much effort into your other kids’ baby books?” Satori asks, sifting through the photos.

Kenjirou gives Satori a look. “I’m going to focus on having this baby before I think about any more. Thanks.”

* * *

**Friday, June 12, 2023**

**Kentarou 6:37pm**

_**Attachment** _

**Kentarou 6:37pm**

_Shigeru wanted me to send everyone pictures of Ryo he was born earlier today_

“He’s actually really proud,” Kenjirou remarks when Kentarou sends the message in the group chat.

“Definitely. I don’t know why he hides it,” Eita replies.

* * *

**Sunday, June 18, 2023**

Kenjirou does his best to wake before Eita. He’s set an alarm, but settled his phone under his pillow to muffle the sound. It’s a struggle to get out of bed on his own—he’s going to hit the thirty-six week mark of his pregnancy tomorrow—but he somehow manages to get up without waking Eita.

It’s finally Father’s Day and Kenjirou wants to celebrate Eita as much as he celebrated him for Mother’s Day.

He sneaks downstairs and makes breakfast. There’s no traditional Father’s Day breakfast like there is Mother’s Day food, so Kenjirou opts for Eita’s favorite. When he’s finished, he sets the table nicely before heading back upstairs to wake Eita.

“Eita.” Kenjirou brushes his hand through Eita’s hair to gently wake him.

Eita’s eyes flutter open and Kenjirou’s heart skips a beat. Eita’s eyes are one of the things Kenjirou finds most gorgeous about him, though Eita’s overall attractive to him, from his appearance to his personality.

“Babe, you okay?” Eita asks, sitting up.

Kenjirou nods. He refuses to sit down, not wanting to struggle getting back up. “Yeah, but I made you breakfast. It’s going to get cold if you don’t come down.”

“Breakfast? What’s the occasion?”

“It’s Father’s Day.”

Eita’s face lights up. “You did something for me for Father’s Day?”

“You’re gonna be a dad next month, right?”

Eita thinks about it as he slips out of bed. “Oh god, next month.”

“Don’t think too hard on it. You might have an aneurysm.”

Eita rests his hands on Kenjirou’s belly. “She’s going to be here in a month. Can you believe it though?”

Kenjirou rests his hands on Eita’s. The baby nudges at the taut skin underneath Eita’s palm. “No not really, but I’m ready to be done; I feel like I’ve been pregnant for so long.”

Eita kisses Kenjirou. “Four more weeks.”

“Four more weeks. Now let’s go eat before it gets cold. I have a lot to show you afterward.”

Eita chuckles, “Eager, huh?”

“I worked hard on your Father’s Day stuff.”

After they eat breakfast, Kenjirou finally pulls out the gift bags he had prepared last week.

“This is a lot, Ken,” Eita says, eyeing all the bags Kenjirou has presented him. Each one is set out on the coffee table in the living room.

“Are you going to open them?” Kenjirou asks, not moving from where he’s settled on the couch.

Eita settles down to sitting on his knees in front of the table and reaches for a bag. Kenjirou stops him, causing Eita to give him a look.

“Leave that one for last,” Kenjirou insists.

Eita doesn’t argue and reaches for another one. It’s the “#1 Dad” mug and T-shirt. His face lights up.

“You really think I’m going to be the best dad?”

Kenjirou bites back a smart remark about not letting it get to his head or that she’s only going to have one dad. Instead he tells him, “Yeah, I think you’re gonna be great.” It’s the truth though.

Kenjirou offers a warm smile. Eita’s breath hitches at the sight.

Eita carefully sets the items aside, tossing the bag and tissue paper to the side to be disposed of later. He moves onto another bag which has the various music themed outfits for Kotone. He loves them, expressing how much he can’t wait to dress her up in them. The next one has the leather jacket.

“This is the tiniest leather jacket I’ve ever seen!” Eita flips it around every which way, inspecting it however he can.

“That’s one for an infant. They had a newborn one too which was even smaller. I didn’t want her to overheat.”

“Smaller?” Eita looks to Kenjirou in shock. Kenjirou only nods. “We should get you a leather jacket. We can all match.”

“I’ve only worn yours when I got cold,” Kenjirou remarks.

“And you looked fantastic! We can get family photos.”

“Oh god, in matching outfits? Those are so cheesy.”

“We’re gonna be a family soon. We have to do cheesy things sometimes. Besides, we already had that maternity shoot.”

“I can’t believe you talked me into that.”

“I wonder how those photos are going to turn out.”

“I don’t know,” Kenjirou replies. He points to the last bag. “You have one more.”

“Oh, yeah!”

Eita tears at the tape on the top of the last bag. If Kenjirou wanted to save this one for last, it must be super special. He pulls out the tissue paper, tossing it aside. Carefully, he lifts out the baby book Kenjirou prepared with Taichi and Satori’s help.

“Is this really—“ Eita trails off, examining the album.

“It’s not finished of course. We have to fill it with photos after she’s born, but it’s a start.”

The cover has one of the latest sonograms in one of the photo sleeves. Another one has one of their maternity shoot photos in it. The other three are left blank.

“You got the photos back already?” Eita looks to Kenjirou in surprise.

“Yeah, I tipped her pretty good. I hope that’s okay. I wanted to make the album special.”

“Of course! This one looks amazing! I can’t wait to see the rest.”

“I have the flash drive and hard copies we can look at later, but there’s a couple more in the book.”

Eita eagerly opens the book. It has Kenjirou’s letter to Kotone on the first two pages, along with a photo of Kenjirou. The next two pages are empty save for a photo of Eita.

“I was hoping you would want to write something to her,” Kenjirou says, noticing Eita’s confusion.

Eita settles the album on the coffee table. “There’s so much I want to tell her. I don’t know where to start.”

“You have two pages, but the book’s a decent size. I saved the next few pages to tell her about us so far, along with photos.”

“You really thought this out.” Eita’s eyes are watery as he turns to Kenjirou.

“I knew you were excited for it.”

Eita grabs the book and rises to his feet. He shuffles over to the couch, settling down next to Kenjirou. He cuddles into his side, resting his head on Kenjirou’s shoulder. Kenjirou wraps his arm around Eita’s shoulder.

“Thank you, Ken. This is all so amazing.”

“You didn’t finish looking through it.”

“Right!”

Eita sits up, flipping to the next few pages.

“I thought we could write our story together here,” Kenjirou suggests.

There’s their first photo as a couple, a wedding photo, the first sonogram, and another maternity shoot photo, but enough room to write their story down over four pages.

Eita’s crying now and Kenjirou wipes at his tears.

“Stop, you’re gonna make me cry. You know how messed up my hormones are right now.” Kenjirou smiles. His eyes are glossy.

Eita laughs. “Sorry, babe, this is just so sweet.”

He flips through to the next page, which is blank.

“We can work on the rest together,” Kenjirou says, carding his fingers through Eita’s hair, “We need more to put in it anyway.”

Eita places the book down on the coffee table before leaning over and kissing Kenjirou hard. Kenjirou relaxes into the kiss.

“What was that for?” Kenjirou asks.

“This is just all so thoughtful.”

“Can’t I do something special for you?”

“You should do it more often,” Eita jokes.

“Oh fuck off.”

They laugh together.

It’s traditional to spend Father’s Day with the dads and head alpha of a pack, so they head to the Ushijima residence not long afterward. Eita’s excited this is his first time celebrating as a father, even if it’s as a father-to-be. He’s proud of Kenjirou and Kotone and he definitely can’t wait until next year when he can show off his baby girl. He happily wears his new “#1 Dad” shirt. He definitely feels like the number one dad.

* * *

Kenjirou’s belly feels absolutely huge, which makes it hard to get comfortable. What makes it harder to get comfortable, however, is the baby constantly kicking when he wants to sleep. He once again tosses in his sleep, disturbing Eita.

“Babe, what’s wrong now?” Eita asks, shifting so he can still curl up with Kenjirou.

“The baby won’t stop moving. She knows it’s time for bed.”

“What if I sang to her? That helps sometimes.”

Kenjirou sighs. He struggles to sit up and Eita helps him. “I’m open to anything at this point.”

Kenjirou expects Eita to sing a lullaby and to get this all over with. What he doesn’t expect is for Eita to jump out of bed, trotting downstairs to his studio.

“What are you doing?” Kenjirou calls.

“Getting my guitar!” Eita yells back as if it’s the most obvious answer in the world.

Kenjirou pushes his bangs back with his hand. He really just wants to sleep. He loves when Eita sings for him—he really does—but right now, he wants more than anything to just sleep.

Eita returns to the bedroom with a smile and his favorite acoustic guitar. He turns on one of the nightstand lamps before he hops up on the bed, sitting cross-legged in front of Kenjirou, guitar situated in his lap.

“Have any requests?” Eita asks.

“The one that’s going to make her sleep fastest.” One of Kenjirou’s hands stays threaded through his hair while the other rests on his belly. “I just want to sleep, Eita.”

Eita leans over his guitar awkwardly to rub at Kenjirou’s hand on his belly. “I know, baby. I’ll try.”

He sits back up straight and starts plucking at the strings, playing a soft melody. Eita’s voice is as lovely as always as he sings. It’s a new one that Kenjirou doesn’t recognize. He knows it’s never been released with the band and even Kenjirou has never heard it. Kenjirou starts to tear up when the lyrics click. This isn’t a song written for Kenjirou; this is a song written for Kotone.

“Eita,” Kenjirou sobs, choked up with emotion over the first song for their daughter.

Eita is smiling serenely as he continues to pluck the strings rhythmically, singing the tune.

When he finishes, Kenjirou is in full-blown tears and Eita chuckles as he places his guitar to the side. He reaches forward, cupping Kenjirou’s cheeks in his hands, wiping at his tears with his thumbs.

“I hate how emotional I am right now,” Kenjirou groans.

“It’s okay. I don’t mind.” Eita leans forward to place a kiss against Kenjirou’s forehead. “Was it okay though? I know it still needs some work, but I’ve been scrapping piece after piece since we found out about her. I think I like this one though.”

“It’s perfect, Eita.” Kenjirou takes Eita’s hands into his own, leading them down to his belly where Kotone’s stilled. “I think she liked it too. It tired her out.”

“That’s good! I was thinking of calling it Kotone’s Lullaby. It’s kind of cheesy but,” Eita trails off.

“I like it,” Kenjirou insists.

“Really? I know it’s kind of special but I want to add it to an album. Arisu’s piano work will sound amazing and I have some chords in mind for Aiko. I have to work out what to do with Chisato and Miyuki still, but how cool will it be for the band to record a song for her? I guess I could just record it privately too, but I want to make sure she can listen to it whenever she likes so—“

Kenjirou gives Eita’s hands a squeeze, grounding him. “I think it’s amazing too, but she’s still in the womb. You’ll have plenty of time to think about it.”

Eita laughs lightly, “Yeah, you’re right. Sorry.”

“Don’t be. I enjoy watching you get excited. I’m just tired. How about you tell me all about it tomorrow?”

“Absolutely.”

Eita returns his guitar to his studio before curling back up with Kenjirou. Kenjirou gets a good night’s rest that night.


	31. Chapter 31

**Monday, June 19, 2023**

The first thing Kenjirou notices when he gets out of bed for his thirty-six week appointment is how much his lower body aches. Eita catches the way he grimaces as he helps him to his feet.

“You okay?”

Kenjirou nods. He takes his hands back from Eita and rubs at his lower back. “My back and pelvis are killing me.”

“Your belly looks lower too,” Eita comments, stepping back to fully observe, “Think the baby dropped?”

“You sound like a know-it-all after you took that class.” Kenjirou waddles off to the bathroom.

“I wanted to feel involved, babe. I feel more involved,” Eita calls, perching back onto the bed.

“God, that felt way better than usual. I think she did drop.” Kenjirou emerges from the bathroom, heading for the closet to find something to wear. “They’ll tell me today, though.”

* * *

Kenjirou finds himself in a hospital gown on an examination table, legs spread for Watanabe to examine him. Eita stands by Kenjirou’s side, stroking his hand.

“Yep, she’s in zero station,” Watanabe announces as he stands up from his stool. He starts removing his gloves.

“That’s good, right?” Eita asks.

Kenjirou looks to him. “You took the class; you should know.” He pulls his legs down and Eita helps him sit up.

Watanabe chuckles, “It just means that labor should be between two to four weeks away. We should aim for three since thirty-nine weeks is full-term. We don’t want her born before then if we can help it.”

“That’s so soon,” Eita mutters.

“You’re not getting scared on me, are you?” Kenjirou smirks at Eita.

“That’s normal,” Watanabe insist, “If you’re feeling too bad, though, don’t be afraid to talk it out with your pack. Anxiety is normal.”

* * *

Kenjirou can’t sleep. It’s nothing new. He can’t remember the last time he’s really gotten a good night’s sleep. He feels huge and he can’t get comfortable around his belly. Not to mention his back and legs ache; his legs feel jumpy; and most of the time, the baby decides that when he’s resting is the best time to be most active.

Tonight, he surprisingly feels fine physically. He’s comfortably propped up against a mound pillows to alleviate some of the heartburn he’s been feeling. The baby is moving, but not kicking to the point it’s super uncomfortable. Eita is curled up around him, head resting on his shoulder and arms wrapped around his chest.

The problem Kenjirou is having tonight is anxiety.

The baby dropping is great in theory. Labor is getting close and that means he’s almost done with his pregnancy. Thirty-eight weeks should be the soonest he would give birth, which isn’t quite full-term, but it still puts him close. He’s ready for his pregnancy to be over and to have his daughter in his arms.

And yet, he’s scared.

He’s terrified of labor. It’s not that he doesn’t trust Eita to support him through it, because he absolutely does. Eita would do anything for him and Kenjirou knows it. He would do the same for Eita. It’s just a lot of stress on his body and if he’s honest with himself, he’s scared. He’s a doctor; he’s seen people come into the emergency room in labor, but they’re all different. He doesn’t know what to expect when it comes to himself. He can read up on it all he wants, but when it comes down to it, his experience is going to be unique to him.

Things are becoming more and more real as he gets closer to his due date. Kotone is supposed to be born by July 17th. There’s not a ton of time left.

There’s also his worry of being a good parent. He can’t base being a good mother off his own. His parents _neglected_ him. They wanted nothing to do with him all because of his secondary sex as an omega. He would never dream of doing that to his own child, but he’s terrified of failing her. He wants the best for her.

Eita stirs, sensing Kenjirou’s unease through their mating bond. He looks up at Kenjirou, letting his eyes adjust to the darkness of their bedroom. “Babe, what’s wrong?”

Kenjirou shakes his head and runs his fingers through Eita’s hair. “Nothing, it’s fine. Go back to sleep.”

“I really can’t when you feel like this.”

Kenjirou sighs and just admits, “I’m scared.”

That gets Eita alert. He sits straight up. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

“It’s about the baby.” Kenjirou’s hand comes to rest on his belly. He winces when she kicks particularly hard against his rib cage.

Eita strokes Kenjirou’s cheekbone with his thumb. “What about her? Is something wrong with her?”

Kenjirou shakes his head again. “No, nothing wrong with her. It’s me. I’m just scared about everything.”

Eita nods before leaning in to kiss Kenjirou’s forehead. “That’s understandable. There’s a lot happening. I’m scared too, but for different reasons I guess.”

Kenjirou pats around in the dark with his free hand, searching for Eita’s. Eita finds him and laces their fingers together.

“I’m afraid of giving birth and what happens afterward,” Kenjirou finally admits.

“I’m going to promise you right now, the only way I’ll leave you during the birth is if they physically drag me away.”

Kenjirou smiles a little. “Thanks, Eita.”

“It’s going to be scary, but we’ll be in it together.”

“Easy for you to say when it’s not your body,” Kenjirou snarks.

“Beyond that.” Eita curls back up against Kenjirou’s side. “I’m going to support you however I can during the birth, and afterward,” he pauses, kissing Kenjirou on the temple and giving his hand a squeeze, “It’s both of us. We’ll figure it out together. We always do.”

Kenjirou nods, leaning into Eita’s touch. “We always do.”

“And if you’re scared about the mom part, my mom’s just a phone call away. Or Kenji, or any of the other moms we know. You’re an insufferable prick to some of them sometimes—“

“I am not.”

“You are—especially to Shigeru,” he interrupts Kenjirou again, “I know, he’s a shallow asshole, but I’m sure he’d stop everything to help, too. You’re not alone, babe. We’re gonna raise an amazing little girl.”

Kenjirou hums. He runs his hand up and down his bump feeling Kotone’s little movements. He traces his fingers around raised skin where her foot presses. “She is amazing.”

He lets out a hiss when she kicks particularly hard, as if she knew she was being talked about. “Yeah, you,” Kenjirou says, looking down at his belly, “Don’t make me take it back.”

Eita laughs and leans down to place a kiss against Kenjirou’s bump. “Mommy’s joking. You’re perfect just the way you are.”

“She’s not kicking your rib cage.”

“Hmm, she’s not, but,” Eita trails off as he rests his head on Kenjirou’s belly. Kotone presses a foot against his ear through taut skin.

Kenjirou runs his fingers through Eita’s hair again, eyes growing heavy. “I think she wants you to get off.”

“It’s gonna be alright, babe,” Eita continues, sitting up. “We have everyone’s support. I know it’s scary but we’ll make it, I promise.”

“Yeah.” Kenjirou smiles a little before sleepily opening his eyes. “I’m uncomfortable now.”

Eita chuckles as they once again find another sleeping position to tangle up into.


	32. Chapter 32

**Tuesday, July 4, 2023**

“I really don’t want to go out,” Kenjirou sighs as he slips into his laceless sneakers. He hit thirty-eight weeks in his pregnancy yesterday and has been on leave for around six weeks. “There’s still so much we should have had done by now.”

Eita massages at Kenjirou’s shoulders and Kenjirou leans into the touch. “You’re going to feel so good. You need the break.”

“What I need is to get the nursery ready.”

“We have time.”

Kenjirou frowns, crossing his arms over his chest. “Eita, we have less than two weeks left. The baby needs somewhere to sleep.”

Eita places a kiss on Kenjirou’s forehead. “It’s fine. She’s going to sleep with us in our room for a while. Go out with Satori and Tsutomu and we’ll take care of it this week.”

Kenjirou huffs.

There’s a knock on the door and Eita steps around Kenjirou to open it. Satori and Tsutomu are waiting with smiles.

“Ready, Kenjirou?”

“No,” Kenjirou groans as he heads out the door after them.

“Have a good time, baby!” Eita calls, “Love you!” He waves the three of them off before shutting the door. He watches from the window until Satori’s car leaves before heading to the living room and pulling his phone out. He sends a message to Wakatoshi, Taichi, and Kanji.

**Eita 11:34am**

_Kenjirou just left with Satori and Tsutomu. We’re all good_

Eita changes into a set of old clothing that he doesn’t mind ruining.

It doesn’t take long for the other three alphas to arrive. The first thing the four of them do is move everything out of the room that’s going to be the nursery. Eita and Kenjirou have gotten rid of most of the junk that took up the room, but there’s still the big boxes that make up the disassembled furniture, along with the boxes of other baby things. They set everything in the hall for the time being.

They get to work covering the floor with a tarp and taping everything off with painter’s tape. None of them have ever painted a room before, but there’s always a first time. They make sure to watch a YouTube video for good measure.

They start with painting the trim and the back of the door white. However when they set the wall paint out, getting ready to pour it into the pan, Kanji manages to knock it over.

“Guess it’s good we used a tarp,” Taichi deadpans as they all stand around staring at the paint seeping from the can.

“Yeah,” Eita mutters.

“I’m sorry!” Kanji apologizes.

“It’s fine. I’m going to go find the swatch.”

“Would you like me to get another liter?” Wakatoshi offers when Eita returns.

“Actually.” Eita hands Kanji the paint swatch and some cash. “Do you mind?”

Eita figures they’re off to an awful start and regrets listening to Tsutomu on accepting Kanji’s help. He worries this is only the start to many hiccups.

“Yeah! Of course!”

There’s another liter, luckily, so they can still work while Kanji is gone. Wakatoshi is actually handy. Eita can’t say the same for himself. Wakatoshi works around the trim and window while Eita and Taichi do the open spaces.

“Are you sure asking Kanji to help was a good choice?” Taichi asks as he dips his roller into the paint pan.

“No,” Eita answers simply, “But Tsutomu insisted Kanji wanted to help. The three of us would have been plenty.”

They finish up with what they have by the time Kanji returns.

Kanji manages to get paint all over himself. Eita and Taichi aren’t exactly spot-free either. The three of them are in awe at Wakatoshi’s lack of mess. He doesn’t get one drop of paint on his clothes. He was prepared too, wearing a old, worn-out T-shirt and equally worn-out sweats. Eita thinks he might seem a little disappointed.

Despite the mess, the walls look good and they get done quickly. The walls are the soft purple that Eita and Kenjirou had taken to at the home improvement store. Eita’s glad after all the pink baby items they’ve been surrounded in.

Putting together the crib is a feat. Eita and Taichi drag it into the room and they tear the pieces out of the box, splaying them across the floor for easy access. Eita has to stop Kanji from throwing away the instructions when he states, “We don’t need these.”

“We absolutely do.”

Still, even with the instructions, Eita, Taichi, _and_ Kanji are stumped. Wakatoshi has just finished lining up a projector. The projector displays the images of trees where Eita plans to paint the outlines in white.

“Perhaps I could try?” Wakatoshi offers.

Eita shrugs. At this point, he just wants it put together before Kenjirou returns. His pride be damned.

Eita moves onto painting. Kanji sits cross-legged on the floor, watching in awe as Wakatoshi puts the crib together with no trouble.

“Need any help, Wakatoshi?” Kanji asks.

“No, I think I have it.”

Kanji moves onto using a laser level—bought just for this project—to line up for decorations. They plan to hang a rabbit painting on the wall opposite of the tree accents, above where they’ll have the changing table. By the time Kanji has the painting hung, Wakatoshi is already done with the crib. Somehow, Kanji manages to mostly avoid the line of the projector.

There’s still two big pieces to put together: the changing table and the rocking chair. Eita has Kanji help Wakatoshi put together the furniture since he seems to be a pro and honestly, doesn’t need any help. Taichi works with Eita on painting. They’re done just as Wakatoshi and Kanji finish up the furniture.

They clean up the last of the paint. Getting the tarp out is an issue. It requires dragging the furniture back out into the hall to pick it up. It’s not so much that everything’s too heavy for them—there’s four of them after all, and Wakatoshi and Kanji are professional athletes—it’s that the pieces are awkward to carry. They still manage.

Eita and Taichi put up a white canopy against the accent wall, right above where the crib will go. Wakatoshi and Kanji put together the floor lamp. They set it up in the corner opposite next to where they’re going to put the changing table.

Finally they drag everything back in. The changing table goes adjacent to the crib and the rocking chair goes in the corner next to the crib. All of the furniture is a white that matches the trim and the accents.

Eita gets a text message from Satori just as they’ve finished putting all the furniture into place.

**Satori 5:03pm**

_How much longer r u going 2 b? Don’t think we can distract Ken any longer_

Eita assesses the room. They did a lot of work. Most everything is in place. The only things that really need done is putting away baby clothes, the bedding, and a few other little things that Eita is sure that Kenjirou wants to do on his own. He knows Kenjirou is going to wash the clothes at least five more times before he’s settled. His nesting instincts have been starting to kick in recently.

“Think we’re ready?” Eita asks.

“Looks done.” Taichi shrugs.

Wakatoshi gives a curt nod and Kanji nods enthusiastically.

**Eita 5:06pm**

_Bring him home_

**Eita 5:07pm**

_Btw thanks Satori. Tell Tsutomu I told him thanks too_

Eita smiles at his pack mates and envelops them in a hug. “Thank you, guys.”

“Of course!”

“You don’t have to thank us.”

“Of course.”

There’s really no way to hide that they have company when there are three extra cars out front, but Wakatoshi, Taichi, and Kanji stay upstairs, not wanting to ruin the surprise. Eita changes back into his clean clothes from earlier before meeting Kenjirou—as well as Satori and Tsutomu—at the door. It doesn’t take too long for them to return. Eita figures that Kenjirou was getting antsy.

“How was your day, babe?” Eita asks as Kenjirou steps inside, slipping off his sneakers.

Kenjirou groans, “I would have rather stayed home and set up the nursery.”

“We can do it tomorrow.”

“We can help!” Tsutomu chimes in.

“We would love to do that!” Satori agrees.

“It’s fine,” Kenjirou insists, “You don’t have to. Anyway.” He turns to Eita. “Why are Taichi, Wakatoshi, _and_ Kanji here?”

Eita takes Kenjirou’s hand. “Before we get into that, I have a surprise for you.”

“I hate surprises.”

“You’ll love this one,” Satori says as he slips behind Kenjirou and places his hands over his eyes.

“Hey!” Kenjirou tries to pry Satori’s hands off, but he doesn’t budge.

“Let’s just go,” Eita urges, gently pulling Kenjirou towards the stairs.

Satori follows behind carefully, not removing his hands. Tsutomu walks behind them.

They make their way to the nursery where the door is closed. Kanji, Wakatoshi, and Taichi stand outside. Kanji has a big smile plastered on his face and even Taichi is grinning a little. Satori finally lets go and Kenjirou frowns.

“Now what? I get it, they’re here.”

“No, inside.” Eita lets go of Kenjirou’s hand to open the door and reveal the redone nursery.

Kenjirou’s eyes burn and he rubs at his eyes. He lets out a sob. Eita chuckles as Kenjirou buries his face into his shoulder. Eita rubs his hand up and down Kenjirou’s back. The rest of the pack is smiling widely.

“Eita, you did all this?” Kenjirou looks up at Eita with tears eyes.

Eita smiles. “With everyone else. Wakatoshi did all the furniture.”

“I helped!” Kanji adds.

“Yeah. The rest of us kind of sucked. There’s some things we still need to do, but it’s mostly done. I hope it’s okay.”

“You like it right?” Kanji asks excitedly. Tsutomu is nuzzled up against his arm.

Kenjirou pulls back and looks up at him, nodding. “I love it.” He glances between him, Taichi, and Wakatoshi. “Thank you.”

“Of course,” Wakatoshi responds, “We’re a pack after all.”

“Yeah, we love you, I guess.” Taichi shrugs.

Satori envelops Kenjirou—and Eita by default—into a hug before he can say anything else. “Worth being dragged around all day, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Time for hugs!” Kanji drags Taichi and Wakatoshi over into the group hug. Tsutomu joins voluntarily.

“Want to see inside?” Eita asks when everyone finally releases. He looks at Kenjirou expectantly.

Kenjirou nods and Eita leads him inside. Kenjirou feels the tears well up again. He never thought pregnancy would make him so emotional. Eita smiles as him as he cups his cheek, wiping at the tears.

“I think she’s going to be comfy,” Satori remarks, strolling into the room with his heads behind his head, “I’d sleep in here.”

Kenjirou gives him an odd expression.

“It does look quite comfortable,” Wakatoshi agrees.

“All that’s left is for Kotone to be here.” Eita’s hands wander down to Kenjirou’s belly. The baby stirs upon hearing her daddy say her name. Kenjirou places his hands over Eita’s.

“Is she kicking?” Tsutomu asks, trotting into the room with Kanji. “Let me feel!”

Kotone is definitely going to be comfortable. Not only with the room, but with her loving pack.


	33. Chapter 33

**Wednesday, July 5, 2023**

Time is ticking down to Kenjirou’s due date. There’s less than two weeks left, which means it’s time to get everything done, including baby-proofing the house. The nursery is done, a relief to Kenjirou who had been stressing over it for weeks, but the rest of the house needs some work as well. Their house isn’t in bad shape, but it’s not ready for a baby. Babies are prone to getting hurt and the last thing Eita and Kenjirou want is for their daughter to come in harm’s way.

“There’s a lot we have to do,” Eita remarks, scrolling through a baby-proofing checklist online.

“There’s a lot of ways a baby can hurt themselves,” Kenjirou replies.

They’ve ordered a ton of different things to protect Kotone in their home, but Kenjirou still worries if it will be enough.

The nursery room furniture has already been anchored to the wall, thanks to Wakatoshi’s handiwork, but now they’re on their own for the rest of the furniture.

“We should’ve hired someone for this,” Kenjirou says as he watches Eita struggle to use the stud finder they bought especially for this task.

“It’s fine,” Eita insists. His face lights up when he hears a beep and he marks the wall with a pencil.

Kenjirou settles onto the bed, deciding to observe Eita instead of actually helping him. There’s not much he can do in the way of the actual furniture anyway. It’s too awkward to move with his belly in the way, not to mention more than he should be moving right now.

Their bedroom and the guest room go fairly smoothly after Eita figures out the tools. Any piece a curious baby could climb onto and pull down is safely anchored to the wall. They make sure to cover every outlet with a cover too. No babies will be sticking their little fingers in the outlets of their home.

The kitchen goes smoothly too, but it’s afterward that’s an issue.

“How do you even open this?” Eita asks as he struggles with a cabinet lock.

“It’s easy.”

Kenjirou demonstrates perfectly. Eita still doesn’t get it and he realizes just how _fun_ this is goes to be. He reminds himself it’s worth it as long as Kotone is safe.

The stove knobs also get covered, just to be sure.

The living room is also a major danger zone for the baby. It’s a little easier in this room, and nothing that Eita finds that he’s going to struggle with later like the cabinets. The coffee table gets some soft corner pieces, the outlets get covered, and the blinds get replaced with something without cords.

Eita’s absolute _favorite_ of all the baby-proofing is the toilet lock. He hates it. He absolutely hates it. Kenjirou isn’t a fan either, still having to pee every five minutes late in his pregnancy. Kenjirou can at least figure it out easily; Eita, on the other hand, struggles with it for a good two minutes. The bathtub knob protectors seem like they’ll prove to be a hassle as well.

The stairs get baby gates at both the top and bottom. Kenjirou watches amused as Eita struggles with lining everything up.

“You’re free to help, you know,” Eita groans.

“I don’t want to get down on the floor,” Kenjirou quips immediately, “I’ll have trouble getting back up.”

There’s a number of other things they check as well, which takes the majority of the day. When everything is said and done, they settle onto the couch. Kenjirou rubs at his belly as he has a Braxton-Hicks contraction.

“Do you think she’s going to get into that much trouble?” Eita asks.

“Hopefully not,” Kenjirou sighs, “But who knows?”

* * *

**Thursday, July 6, 2023**

After baby-proofing the house, Kenjirou’s nesting instincts _really_ set in. It becomes more real everyday that Kotone will arrive in less than two weeks.

Eita wakes to find the bed cold. He’s unsure how Kenjirou managed to get up out of bed by himself. He’s been having trouble with how big his belly is after all.

Eita hears a crash downstairs, which causes him to go running. He’s out of bed so fast he sees black, but he’s undeterred, worried what might have happened to Kenjirou. Kenjirou is fine; the refrigerator, however, is not.

“What are you doing?” Eita asks, a little dazed.

Kenjirou is in the middle of tearing apart the refrigerator. He has the garbage can pulled up next to the door as he tosses item after item inside. It’s filled to the brim.

He turns to Eita. “Great, you’re up. The trash needs taken out.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

“I think I’m nesting.”

“Oh,” Eita lets that sink in for a moment before asking, “Wait, what does that have to do with you throwing out everything in the fridge?”

“I have to get rid of anything expired. We have to get everything cleaned up before the baby comes.”

Eita decides not to question anymore. He reminds himself that this is harder on Kenjirou than it is him. He simply pulls the trash bag out of the can and ties it up. He hoists it over his shoulder. “Anything else?”

“Not right now, but we’re gonna have to go shopping after I’m done.”

“Of course, we’ll do whatever makes you comfortable.” He gives Kenjirou a kiss on the temple before heading outside to drop the bag into the outside can.

By the time Eita returns, Kenjirou has replaced the bag and moved onto the freezer. He’s looking every which way on a box to find the expiration date. He groans when he can’t find it and ends up pitching it anyway.

“Babe, what can I do?” Eita offers when he sees Kenjirou’s frustration. He’s still taken aback by the whole situation, but he wants to do what he can to ease the burden on Kenjirou.

“Nothing right now.”

Eita ends up helplessly watching from a seat at the kitchen table. Kenjirou seems almost frantic as he goes through the contents of their freezer. Finally, when he’s done, he plops down in the chair next to Eita, rubbing at his belly.

“Are you alright?” Eita watches in concern.

“Braxton-Hicks.” Kenjirou runs his other hand through his hair. “I need a break, but I feel so on edge.”

Eita rests his hand on Kenjirou’s on his bump, rubbing it back and forth. “It’s going to be okay. Let me help.”

“I guess you could make a list of what we need now.”

“Yeah, of course, just let me know, okay?”

Eita pulls the trash can over to the pantry so Kenjirou can go through that next. He heads back upstairs to grab his phone so he can start a list by going through the refrigerator. They need a lot, but if it’s what makes Kenjirou comfortable, Eita’s willing to do it. About halfway through the pantry, Kenjirou has Eita take out another bag. When Kenjirou’s finally done going through that, he settles down at the table, allowing himself a break while Eita continues the list.

“I think I got everything,” Eita says as he settles down next to Kenjirou, “Want to check?”

Kenjirou takes the phone from him. He skims over the list, adding and deleting as he sees fit. “I think this should do it. We should get dressed and head to the store.”

“Don’t you want to rest? You did a lot.”

Kenjirou shakes his head. “I can’t. I need to do this.”

* * *

“I hate being pregnant in the middle of summer,” Kenjirou groans when Eita helps him out of the car. He has a slight sheen of sweat on his face and his bangs stick to his forehead. “It’s bad enough I’m carrying all this extra weight, but it’s also hot as hell.”

“You’re almost done.” Eita reminds him gently. He rests his hand on the small of Kenjirou’s back. He locks the car before they head inside the store.

“Easy for you to say.”

Eita grabs a cart inside the grocery store and lets Kenjirou lead the way. He meticulously checks the list, making sure to get the right amount of every item.

When they get home and put the food away, Kenjirou starts on his next task. He starts washing everything. He washes the bed clothes, not only from his and Eita’s bedroom, but the guest room. He washes all of the nesting blankets. He also rewashes the baby’s bedding.

“Are you sure this is all necessary?” Eita asks as Kenjirou waddles around, trying to find more to wash.

“What do you mean is this necessary?” Kenjirou is in the middle of putting the baby’s quilt in the dryer.

“I mean, this is kind of ridiculous.”

Kenjirou slams the dryer door shut with more force than necessary. He presses start before turning to Eita, crossing his arms over his chest. “Do you think I want to be doing all of this?”

Kenjirou has tears in his eyes, a mood swing hitting him especially hard.

“I’m sorry, come here,” Eita says, opening up his arms to embrace Kenjirou. Kenjirou sniffles before stepping forward to cuddle into Eita. Eita rubs at his back as he cries.

“My body is doing so many crazy things right now,” Kenjirou sobs.

“I know, baby, I’m sorry.”

“I love our daughter, but sometimes things are too much to handle: these mood swings, all the crying, the nesting, the weird fluids, the cravings, the aches and pains, all of it.”

“It’s okay,” Eita hushes. He kisses the top of Kenjirou’s head. “You’re doing so good at handling all of this. It’s more than I could do.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“You’re a brat. You’re not supposed to agree.”

Once Kenjirou settles down, Eita helps him with what he needs done. He helps put the sheets and comforter on both their bed and the guest room’s bed. He helps Kenjirou choose the right clothing to wash for the nest he needs to make. He even goes to fetch some blankets and clothing from their pack mates for extra scented comfort. It takes all day to do all of this.

Eita’s barely able to convince Kenjirou to lay down in bed for the night.

“Everything will still be there in the morning,” Eita insists as he leads Kenjirou to bed, hands on his shoulders.

“I could go into labor tomorrow.”

“A better reason for you to get some rest.”

* * *

**Friday, July 7, 2023**

Kenjirou does not go into labor. He does, however, still have his nesting urges. The house isn’t exactly dirty, but it could be tidier, and that’s what Kenjirou focuses on next.

“Kenjirou!” Eita scolds when he notices Kenjirou starting towards a liter of bleach. “You shouldn’t be mixing chemicals.”

“The floors needs cleaned.”

“I’ll do it.”

Kenjirou doesn’t enjoy sitting outside in the heat, so Eita manages to convince him to spend the next several hours at the bakery with Satori. Satori teases Kenjirou to no end about his nesting, which makes him pouty when he returns home.

The floors are spotless though. The bathrooms are cleaned from top to bottom too.

Kenjirou tries washing the walls next, this time with soap and water. Eita has to stop him from using a stool to reach the higher parts.

The house looks fantastic after everything is done and honestly, Eita hopes it’s the end of Kenjirou’s nesting. Not only for himself, but for Kenjirou.

* * *

**Saturday, July 8, 2023**

The baby’s room comes next. Kenjirou has already meticulously folded all of Kotone’s clothing and put it into place, but Eita finds him the next morning tearing everything back out.

“It needs washed again,” Kenjirou insists, arms full of onesies among other baby items.

After he gets the washer going, he starts taking count of all the different baby supplies. They have plenty of diapers thanks to the baby shower, but Kenjirou becomes concerned about different items like ointments, wipes, and soaps, among other things.

“Do you think we need another thermometer? What if this one breaks?”

Kenjirou holds a baby thermometer in his hand as he looks to Eita. Eita is sat in the rocking chair as he helplessly watches Kenjirou frenzy around the nursery.

“How many do you think we need?”

“At least one more.”

“Let’s make a list so we can make one trip.”

Kenjirou does just that. He continues to waddle around the room, checking everything.

“Do you think she has enough clothes?” Kenjirou asks after Eita returns from throwing everything in the dryer.

“We have a washer. She’s going to outgrow them fast.”

“I guess,” Kenjirou sighs, “I’m just stressed.”

He heads to the corner of the room and settles down into the rocking chair. He’s absolutely exhausted, but he still feels unsettled about everything. He needs things to be just perfect for when the baby arrives.

Eita comes over and kneels in front of Kenjirou, forearms resting on Kenjirou’s knees. Kenjirou threads his fingers through Eita’s hair. Eita talks to Kenjirou’s baby bump, “You’re causing your mom a lot of trouble.”

* * *

**Sunday, July 9, 2023**

Kenjirou finds himself in the kitchen the next day.

“You don’t even enjoy cooking,” Eita says, watching from the kitchen table.

“I know, but I need to make sure we have food ready,” Kenjirou insists, “We’re not going to have time to cook for a while once she’s actually born.”

“We can order takeout.”

“Do you want to wait on it?”

“Fair point.”

The freezer ends up filled with meals they’ll be able to heat up later.

Luckily, this seems to be the end of Kenjirou’s nesting frenzy. There’s not much he can figure out to do at this point.

Eita suggests they curl up on the couch and watch a movie, offering to massage anywhere Kenjirou would like. Kenjirou takes him up on that, but falls asleep before they can even choose the movie. Eita thinks they both deserve the rest after the last few days.


	34. Chapter 34

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to break up this chapter because it’s 11,000 words, but I couldn’t find a good place, so I’m sorry about that.

**Monday, July 10, 2023**

“Eita.”

Eita wakes to find Kenjirou looking at him expectantly. He sits up immediately. “What’s wrong? Is it the baby?”

Kenjirou shakes his head. “No, we don’t have any karashi.”

“Karashi?” Eita cocks his head to the side. “But you’ve been avoiding spicy foods. You said they’ve been giving you heartburn.”

“Are you really going to deny your pregnant omega?” Kenjirou crosses his arms over his chest.

Eita narrows his eyes. “You have another motive.”

“I’m officially full-term. I want my baby.”

“So what does karashi have to do with that?”

“Spicy foods can help induce labor. You could have sex with me instead,” Kenjirou suggests.

Eita stares at him for a good minute. “Are you using me?”

“No.”

“You know I’ll always have sex with you, but what do you want to try?”

“I’d rather try the karashi.”

Eita gets dressed and heads to the store. When he returns, he finds Kenjirou pacing around the living room drinking red raspberry leaf tea from a travel mug.

“Kenjirou, I’m home,” Eita says as he removes his shoes.

“Great, nothing else has worked yet.”

****

Kenjirou waddles over to Eita, taking the bag he’s carrying. He gives Eita a peck on the cheek before heading to the kitchen to get a spoon. Kenjirou doesn’t even bother to eat the karashi with anything and simply squirts it onto the spoon, placing it into his mouth.

“Is it working?” Eita asks, watching in bewilderment.

“No,” Kenjirou answers annoyed. He plops down onto one of the chairs at the table.

Eita crosses the room to sit across from him. He rubs at Kenjirou’s hand.

“I thought I’d at least have a Braxton-Hicks,” Kenjirou sighs. He rubs at his belly as the baby stirs. “I guess you’re going to have to fuck me.”

“That’s the least romantic way you’ve ever asked for sex.”

“I want my baby, Eita. It’s not about romance at this point.”

Sex doesn’t work either. Kenjirou demands three rounds too. Nothing helps.

“Remember your promise?” Kenjirou asks as they’re lying in bed afterward.

“What promise?”

“Massage my feet. Try to hit the sweet spot.”

****

Eita sighs for what feels like the umpteenth time today.

Kenjirou hoists himself into a sitting position and Eita crawls toward Kenjirou’s feet, pulling them into his lap. Kenjirou can barely enjoy the massage because he’s so anxious for Eita to hit the right spot.

“Oh.”

“Did it work?” Eita asks excitedly.

“It’s just a Braxton-Hicks.” Kenjirou pouts. “It doesn’t hurt.”

* * *

**Wednesday, July 12, 2023**

Kenjirou wakes up around ten after eight with an aching in his back. Pain radiates from his back around to his lower belly. It’s not the worst pain he’s ever had, but he would rather not have it. He figures it’s just a strong Braxton-Hicks contraction.

He’s curled around his body pillow with his back toward Eita. He struggles to reach for his phone on the nightstand, unplugging it and tossing the charger to the side. It’s a little difficult, but he shifts to his other side, bringing the body pillow with him.

The pain has already subsided so he assumes he was right about it being a false contraction. The baby dropped into his pelvis a few weeks ago, but as far as he’s aware, he hasn’t passed his mucus plug or had his bloody show, so labor is still probably days away.

Eita’s awake, propped against the headboard, scrolling away on his own phone. The sunlight peaking in through the window illuminates him just right and Kenjirou can’t help but to admire how beautiful his mate is. Eita notices Kenjirou’s movement. He cracks a smile at him and Kenjirou feels his heart skip a beat like it’s the first time.

“Morning,” Eita greets, “Sleep well?”

“Better than I have been,” Kenjirou replies, “I didn’t wake you, did I?”

Kenjirou scoots closer to Eita, pillow tucked underneath his belly and hips. Eita extends his arm to allow Kenjirou access and he nestles up underneath it, resting his head against Eita’s shoulder.

“I’ve been up.”

“Last night, smart ass. I’ve been tossing and turning so much lately.”

“No, I slept great.”

“That’s good,” Kenjirou hums as he unlocks his own phone, going about checking social media.

“You hungry? I’ll make something.” Eita offers.

Kenjirou shakes his head. “Not yet, I just got comfortable. You’re not allowed to move.”

Eita chuckles as he runs his hand up and down Kenjirou’s arm. “I’ll stay here as long as you want.”

“It won’t be too long,” Kenjirou deadpans, “I can barely get comfortable anymore.”

Eita kisses the top of Kenjirou’s head and Kenjirou nuzzles closer against him. “You’re almost done, just hang in there.”

“Easy for you to say. You’re not carrying around a four and a half kilogram watermelon.”

“The doctor didn’t say she was that big.”

“You’re not carrying her.”

They fade into a comfortable silence. Kenjirou actually feels somewhat comfortable until he feels another cramp; it once again starts from his back, crawling toward his belly. He checks the time and sees that it’s twenty-five after at this point. He doesn’t want to get his hopes up just yet. He’s been trying for the last two days to kickstart labor—ever since he officially hit thirty-nine weeks—and nothing has helped as of yet. He feels like he’s going to find himself two weeks past his due date and getting induced.

Eventually, Kenjirou’s hips ache too much and he finds himself needing to shift again. He takes Eita up on his offer for breakfast and they slip out of bed. Eita helps Kenjirou to his feet because at this point, it’s too hard to do it by himself. When Kenjirou rises from the bed, his belly brushes against Eita’s and the baby stirs within. They smile at each other.

“I’m surprised she still has room to move,” Eita remarks.

He lets go of Kenjirou’s hands and his eyes are filled with awe as he reaches down to touch Kenjirou’s bump. Even after thirty weeks of knowing, Eita is still so amazed by the way Kenjirou’s body has changed and all the ways their little girl shows herself.

“She really doesn’t,” Kenjirou replies, placing his hands over Eita’s, “Now it’s just uncomfortable.”

“Sorry, babe,” Eita croons, leaning in for a kiss. He laces their fingers together, guiding Kenjirou out of the bedroom. “Let’s get you something to eat.”

Kenjirou urges Eita to go ahead and waddles off to the nursery, insisting he needs to check on some things. He stands in the doorway, a fond expression on his face. He’s still amazed at the work their pack put in and all the thought Eita had. They were really cutting things close.

He wanders in, checking the drawers to make sure that everything is in place. He’s washed, folded, and arranged everything by what seems like a hundred times by now. His nesting instincts have really kicked into high gear, so he just has to double-check. He straightens up the quilt dangling over the crib. It’s already hanging just right, but he feels the need to adjust it _perfectly_. He reaches in and fluffs up the stuffed bunny in the corner, perking it up just a tad.

He meanders around, fixing anything he feels needs it, before finally settling into the rocking chair in the corner of the room. He leans back, resting his head against the cushion. Slowly, he pushes it back and forth with his feet.

He’s eager to bring his daughter home. He’s scared and anxious, but also excited. He loves his pack and he definitely loves Eita more than anything, but he didn’t know his heart could swell with love for anyone else like this, especially having not met them. He’s terrified and yet, at the same time, he can’t wait until he and Eita can hold her in their arms.

It’s been a while and Eita hasn’t called up yet, but Kenjirou thinks he had better head downstairs. He regrets sitting though when he presses his palms against the armrest and struggles to get to his feet. Just as he’s about to be free, he feels another pain take over him. It’s still not bad, just uncomfortable if anything, but definitely more than just the Braxton-Hicks he’s been having. He finds himself back on his bottom, running his hands over his belly, feeling how tense and hard it is. He lets the pain subside—which he counts at around half a minute—before trying to climb to his feet again.

He checks his phone to get an idea of when his last possible contraction was, and sees that it was about fifteen minutes ago. It could still be a while, but if he’s lucky, they could meet their daughter by evening. He slips his phone back into his pajama shorts pocket before heading downstairs.

When Kenjirou enters the kitchen, the rice cooker is going and Eita’s washing up some dishes from the night before. Kenjirou leans into Eita, resting his head on his shoulder and grasping onto his arm. Eita nuzzles his cheek against Kenjirou, smiling fondly.

“Don’t panic, but I think I’m in labor.”

Eita drops the bowl he’s washing into the sink with a clatter. He turns toward Kenjirou, grabbing a towel to dry his hands. “Don’t panic? Shouldn’t we go to the hospital?”

“It’s not that serious.”

“Kenjirou,” Eita steps back to fixate his stare on Kenjirou. “ _You’re having a baby_.”

Kenjirou shrugs. “I’ve had like three contractions. It’s going to take a while. You should’ve learned that in your class.”

Eita sighs, “At least call the doctor. See what he says.”

“He’s going to tell me to stay home.”

Eita reluctantly returns to doing the dishes as Kenjirou settles down into a seat at the kitchen table, calling the doctor. He jokes that Eita made him call and Eita shoots him a look. Doctor Watanabe does, in fact, tell Kenjirou to stay home.

“Keep track of your contractions, but I think you already know that,” Watanabe chuckles over the phone.

“Yeah, they’re around thirty seconds long and about fifteen minutes apart.”

“Good, good. When they’re coming every five minutes or so is when you’ll want to head in. Just get comfortable. It could be a while. My first took sixteen hours.”

Kenjirou finishes up the call and smirks smugly toward Eita. “I told you.”

Eita dries his hands, crossing his arms over his chest as he pouts. “Let me worry about you.”

Kenjirou opens up his arms, motioning for Eita to come over. Eita leans down, embracing him.

“Thank you for worrying about us,” Kenjirou murmurs.

“You smell so sweet right now.”

“It’s the pregnancy pheromones.”

“I’m going to miss it.”

“I’ll still smell this way for a few months.”

The rice cooker dings and Eita straightens up, heading over to the counter. He distributes the rice into bowls, heading over to the fridge to grab eggs. He grabs the spices and finishes off making the tamago kake gohan. When everything is put together, he brings the bowls over to the table.

“So should we tell the pack?” Eita asks as he takes a seat.

Kenjirou frowns down at his bowl, grabbing his chopsticks. “I still don’t know if I want them to have a front row seat.” He takes a bite.

Kenjirou has left his birth plan up in the air because of Eita’s hesitation to include Taichi and his own anxiety over the birth. He knows it’s very much last minute. He likes everything else in his life planned out, but he just hasn’t been sure how he wants the experience to go. It’s not uncommon for a pack—mainly the pregnant person’s mate and omegas—to be present, but it can also be an intimate time between the pregnant person and their partner. It ultimately depends on the expecting pair to decide.

“I doubt any of them are going to want to look,” Eita laughs, “Satori might, actually. He was pretty interested in the class.”

Kenjirou is still tense and Eita’s expression falls. “Shit, are you still scared?” He reaches over, taking hold of Kenjirou’s hand.

“A little,” Kenjirou hesitantly admits.

Eita gives him a reassuring smile. “I’m scared too, but it’s going to be okay, okay?”

Kenjirou nods, smiling weakly.

“You can decide at any time if you want them here,” Eita continues, “I know they’ll drop everything to support you. And if you don’t want them here now, we’ll see them after we meet our baby girl.”

Eita doesn’t let go of Kenjirou’s hand, which makes eating a little hard since he’s using his non-dominant hand, but he manages. He does his best to send comfort through their pair bond. Kenjirou seems less tense, at least until he sits his chopsticks down and begins rubbing at his belly, eyes closed.

“Time?” Kenjirou asks.

“Oh.” Eita frantically reaches for his phone, sensing an urgency. “8:56.”

Kenjirou nods. “Fifteen minutes.”

As if nothing just happened, he picks his chopsticks back up and continues to eat. Eita just stares at him, dumbfounded. “Was that a contraction?”

“Yeah. It’s no big deal.”

They finish breakfast and Eita offers to clean up, suggesting Kenjirou relax. Kenjirou seems to have other plans though. He returns to their bedroom and builds onto the nest they’ve been sleeping in for the past week. Eita finds him searching through drawers to add any article of clothing he can.

“Do you want me to scent something for you?” Eita offers and he’s soon given an armful of blankets as Kenjirou continues to pace around. Eita gets to work, making sure every piece smells strongly of him before dropping everything on the edge of the bed. He’s getting ready to suggest Kenjirou adds those and just _relax_ , but he’s shoving clothing into Eita’s arms next. It reminds him of Kenjirou going through pre-heat.

“Kenjirou,” Eita speaks softly. Kenjirou stops his frenzying to look his way. “Babe, just relax, okay? Let me scent these for you and we can arrange everything and you can just _relax_.”

“I’m stressed.”

Eita sets the clothes down on the bed, closing the distance between him and Kenjirou. He wraps his arms around Kenjirou, making sure to scent mark him. He settles a little in Eita’s embrace.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to call everyone? Even if it’s just Satori and Tsutomu or Kenji. Kenji’s been through this before. You might feel better with other omegas here,” Eita pauses, “Or even Taichi. I know you said you wanted him here.”

“You would let Taichi be here?”

“You’re right, I’m not giving birth; you are.”

Kenjirou shakes his head. “I just want you with me.”

“Okay, that’s fine. It’s completely up to you.”

Eita runs his hand against Kenjirou’s back. He holds him tight. Kenjirou tightens up as a contraction hits, but it doesn’t last long.

“Can you scent the rest of those?” Kenjirou asks, voice muffled by Eita’s shoulder.

“Of course.”

Eita lets go and gets to work. Kenjirou returns to carefully arranging the nest. When he’s satisfied with what he has, he looks to Eita expectantly. Eita offers everything with a smile. Kenjirou puts it all into place before crawling into the middle. Eita happily joins him.

Eita grabs the remote off the nightstand and turns on the television. He puts on Netflix, turning on one of Kenjirou’s favorite movies. Kenjirou alternates through different positions as the movie plays, never able to quite sit still. He’s antsy and he’s sore and most of all he’s nervous. Still, he keeps as close to Eita as possible.

Kenjirou’s contractions continue around the thirteen minute interval as the movie finishes around eleven thirty. They move onto another one of Kenjirou’s favorite movies.

Eita sends a text in the group chat to let the pack know what’s happening, but that Kenjirou wants to keep things between the two of them. The pack is supportive of that, though Satori seems a little disappointed. Eita’s firm that it’s Kenjirou’s decision. They ask to keep being updated.

Kenjirou continues to have contractions at a steady pace. They increase to every twelve minutes by the time the second movie ends a quarter after one. They’re slightly stronger and longer, but they’re not anything Kenjirou can’t handle.

They manage to sit through one more movie. Kenjirou’s up to forty second contractions every ten minutes by three.

“I have to move,” Kenjirou announces, pulling himself to the edge of the bed.

Eita’s quick to get to his feet and help Kenjirou. He tries to walk with him, but he brushes Eita off, which leaves him perched on the edge of the bed, helplessly watching Kenjirou pace back and forth around their bedroom. Eita thinks he might wear a hole in the floor.

After about ten minutes of this, Eita finally asks, “Can I do anything?” He feels kind of useless. All he’s been doing has been keeping track of Kenjirou’s contractions.

“I’m fine,” Kenjirou answers shortly.

After almost thirty more minutes, Kenjirou finally settles and leans over the side of the bed during a contraction. They’re coming every nine minutes at this point.

Eita decides he can actually do something now that Kenjirou is still. He slides off the bed, slipping behind Kenjirou. He kneads his palms into Kenjirou’s lower back, eliciting a moan from him.

“Would a bath help?” Eita offers.

“Maybe.”

Eita nods before he shuffles off to the bathroom to run the bath. He also sets up a speaker to play some music he’s written especially for Kenjirou. Kenjirou mentioned wanting to have Eita’s music for a relaxation technique when they previously talked about labor and birth.

When Eita comes back to the bedroom, Kenjirou has his face buried into his arms, still leaned over the bed.

“Are you having another contraction already?”

“Not yet.”

“The bath’s ready whenever you are.”

“Let me wait until the next one comes. It won’t be long.”

Eita goes back to massaging Kenjirou’s back, waiting for the next pain to pass, which Kenjirou’s right, it doesn’t take long. Afterward, Eita helps Kenjirou settle into the tub. Kenjirou feels a little more relaxed as he leans back against the wall, one hand running against his belly. He hums quietly to the beat, focusing on the music to distract himself from the pain. Eita kneels by the tub, pressing kisses to Kenjirou’s knuckles and running a hand through Kenjirou’s hair.

“Does that feel any better?” Eita asks.

“Yeah. The contractions aren’t the worst, but I’d rather not have them.”

“It’s probably more than I could handle.”

“Probably.” Kenjirou smirks.

“You’re not supposed to agree.”

The grip on Eita’s hand tightens. Kenjirou’s face scrunches up in concentration as the pain ripples through him. He lets out a hiss.

“Just breathe,” Eita reminds him gently. He tries guiding him through the breathing exercises he learned in the childbirth classes. Kenjirou follows his instruction.

“That seemed like a tough one,” Eita says when it seems the pain has subsided.

“It was fine,” Kenjirou insists.

Kenjirou soaks in the tub for about an hour before the water runs cold. He dries off and slips into another pair of pajamas. It’s around five. The pack has sent multiple messages while Kenjirou was in the tub, checking with Eita for more updates. He tells everyone that they’re still at home, but he promises to keep them updated.

Eita sets the speaker up in the bedroom. Kenjirou feels the need to pace around again and this time, he allows Eita to help, mainly so he can lean on him every seven minutes during contractions. Eita doesn’t complain. He’s happy to help however he can.

By the time Kenjirou’s contractions hit forty-five seconds every six minutes, he’s crawling back into the nest on all fours, rocking back and forth. Eita kneads into his back. When the pain intensifies, Kenjirou curls onto his side, hugging his body pillow. Eventually, a contraction comes after only five minutes. The sun has started to set at this point.

“We should get to the hospital,” Eita suggests, running his hand up Kenjirou’s arm.

Kenjirou shakes his head. “It’s fine.”

“I don’t know about you, but I’m not exactly comfortable delivering the baby myself.”

“I’m doing all of the work,” Kenjirou snaps, “Besides, it’s taken eleven hours to even get here. She’s not coming out any time soon.”

“You’ve come a long way, Ken.” Eita frowns as he runs his fingers through Kenjirou’s hair.

“I was hoping she would be here by now.”

Kenjirou tenses as pain wracks through him, gripping onto the pillow and the comforter.

“You’re doing so good, just breathe, okay?”

Kenjirou concentrates on the breathing exercises that Eita coaches him through.

“I’m going to double check the hospital bag,” Eita says when Kenjirou relaxes.

“I’m not ready to go.”

“Well the bag will be ready when you are.”

Eita heads off to the closet to retrieve the bag. He roots through it, checking with the list he’s made on his phone. Everything is in order. He’s checked it at least twenty times already, but it’s getting close to go time, and it has to be right.

He sends the pack another message in the group chat, telling them they should be heading to the hospital soon, whenever he can convince Kenjirou.

**Satori 7:28pm**

_Watch out or ull end up delivering the baby urself (_ _ﾉ_ _≧_ _ڡ_ _≦)_

**Eita 7:28pm**

_that’s not gonna happen_

When Eita brings the bag back to the bedroom, sitting it on the floor by the bed, Kenjirou is wound tight in a ball. Eita freezes when he hears a sob, but he rushes into action, crawling onto the bed next to his mate. He strokes Kenjirou’s cheek, wiping at his tears.

“I didn’t think it would hurt this bad,” Kenjirou finally admits.

“You’re a doctor. You’ve seen people in labor.”

Kenjirou lets out another sob and Eita feels like an ass.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know what you’re going through.” Eita gathers Kenjirou into his lap. He winds his arms around Eita’s neck, burying his face into his shoulder.

“Let’s go to the hospital,” Eita insists after another contraction passes.

“I’m scared, Eita.”

“It’s gonna be okay. Think of our little girl. She’s gonna be so beautiful and you’re going to be the best mom to her, but we have to make sure she’s delivered safely.”

Kenjirou stills.

“Please, let’s just go,” Eita urges, “I can’t have anything happen to either of you.”

He gets a nod in response and he presses a kiss against Kenjirou’s temple.

Eita calls the obstetrician to tell him that they’re on their way. He also updates the pack. He changes out of his pajamas and they’re in the car by ten till eight. Eita makes sure Kenjirou is as comfortable as possible before settling behind the wheel. He doesn’t let go of Kenjirou’s hand, running his thumb against his knuckles.

“Ugh, gross,” Kenjirou groans about halfway there, staring down at his crotch. Eita spares a glance to see a wet patch forming in Kenjirou’s pajama shorts. He’s thankful for leather seats.

“It’s okay, babe, we’ll clean it later.”

“I still feel gross sitting in _amniotic fluid_.”

“It was going to happen sooner or later.”

Kenjirou doubles over, holding onto his belly. He moans through a contraction, gripping Eita’s hand tighter. The wet patch grows a little bigger with the contraction and Eita prays it doesn’t drip onto the floor.

When they get to the hospital, they take Kenjirou back to a room almost immediately. He changes into a hospital gown and lies back with an arm covering his eyes as a nurse checks him. Eita sits by his side, grasping Kenjirou’s hand in both of his.

“Looks like you’re about six centimeters,” she announces as she stands up.

“Only six?” Kenjirou peaks out from under his arm. He looks like he could cry and Eita feels his heart break.

The nurse pats his knee. “You’re progressing well. A lot of mothers dilate about a centimeter an hour at this stage, so you should see your baby by tonight.”

Kenjirou brings his knees back down, curling into his side. They run some tests on him, making sure both he and the baby are in good condition, but they’re left alone for the most part.

Eita sets the speaker up so Kenjirou can have some music to focus on.

“Eita,” Kenjirou says in a tiny voice once they’re finally alone.

“Yeah?” Eita answers, eager to be able to do anything to ease Kenjirou’s pain.

“Hold me.”

“Yeah, of course.”

Kenjirou pushes himself up, making room for Eita on the bed. Eita raises the bed so he can lean back and Kenjirou crawls into his lap, straddling him. Kenjirou buries his face into Eita’s neck and breathes into his scent glands, letting the familiar scent calm him. Eita holds him close. Kenjirou grasps onto the back of Eita’s shirt and holds Eita’s hand tight in his.

“Please don’t let go of my hand,” Kenjirou whimpers.

“I wouldn’t dream of it.”

Eita stresses when Kenjirou begins to shake uncontrollably, his teeth chattering. Eita calls for a nurse, but she assures him Kenjirou is completely fine and that it happens sometimes. It doesn’t make Eita any less worried.

Kenjirou’s contractions continue to get longer and stronger, coming closer and closer together; they’re almost on top of each other. He’s barely able to speak he’s in so much pain. Nurses periodically come in and out to check on his progress.

Eita finds himself once again worried when Kenjirou’s hanging over the side of the bed, vomiting into the trash can. When Eita calls for the nurse this time, she seems annoyed. He can’t help being worried for his omega!

Labor progressively gets worse. Kenjirou’s a sobbing mess by midnight. He’s sweaty, his bangs stick to his forehead, and the hospital gown sticks to his skin. His face is red, but he’s also flushed.

“Eita,” He cries, “It hurts so much.”

“I know, baby,” Eita coos, rubbing Kenjirou’s back and pressing a kiss to his temple. Kenjirou’s once again settled into his lap. “You’re doing so good. Just hang in there.”

By two in the morning, Kenjirou tells Eita, “Get the doctor. I have to push.”

Eita jumps into gear. The last thing he wants to do is to leave Kenjirou so he reaches for the call button.

A nurse comes in to check Kenjirou once again and he’s finally dilated ten centimeters. He lets out a cry of relief.

Eita gives him a big, reassuring smile, squeezing his hand. “You’re almost there.”

“I’m so glad,” Kenjirou replies tiredly. He still manages a small smile.

Watanabe arrives, cheery as always. “Ready to have a baby?” He asks as he goes to scrub up.

“More than ready.”

Kenjirou’s told to get into whatever position is most comfortable, so he gets on his hands and knees. Eita rubs his back and pats his forehead with a cool cloth. Watanabe instructs Kenjirou to push as he feels the urge. But after around an hour, not much progress has been made.

“Why isn’t she out yet?” Kenjirou asks, voice shaky.

“It can take a while,” Watanabe assures, “You can always try another position. Sometimes gravity helps. Maybe try an upright position.”

Kenjirou nods. He’s exhausted and all he wants is to have his daughter in his arms. He settles back onto his bottom, breathing heavily as he tries to regain some energy. Eita helps him shift to a squatting position, climbing onto the bed behind him. He keeps Kenjirou steady with his arms tucked under his armpits, holding his hands. Kenjirou leans back into him and grips tight.

“You’re doing great, baby,” Eita murmurs against Kenjirou’s ear, “You’re so close.”

Eita whispers his encouragement as Kenjirou gives it his all. It’s not long before Kenjirou throws his head back onto Eita’s shoulder, exclaiming, “Fuck! It burns!”

“That’s good,” Watanabe assures him, “You’re crowning. It won’t be long now. Do you want to see the head?”

Kenjirou nods and Watanabe reaches for a mirror on the metal table near the foot of the bed. He angles it just right so Kenjirou can see. Eita spares a look from over Kenjirou’s shoulder and feels bad for being disgusted. Luckily, he doesn’t feel the urge to vomit. He remembers being just as grossed out by the videos in the childbirth classes, but he thought it might be different with Kenjirou and their baby. It’s not.

It encourages Kenjirou though and he goes right back to bearing down.

“Slow down,” Watanabe instructs, “We don’t want you to tear.”

Kenjirou bites his lip, but nods. He also follows Watanabe’s instruction to fall back into a half-sitting position. Eita coaches him through breathing exercises and continues to encourage him as he struggles with the pain.

“You can feel her if you want,” Watanabe offers.

“Yeah,” Kenjirou breathes, letting go of one of Eita’s hands. Watanabe guides him to touch the top of the baby’s head. He looks to Eita in amazement. “Oh my god, Eita, she’s right there.”

Eita brushes Kenjirou’s bangs back, pressing a kiss to his forehead. “You’re almost done. You’re so close, Ken, just hang in there, okay? You’re doing amazing.”

Kenjirou squeezes Eita’s hand tight, but Eita doesn’t dare complain. He knows it’s only a fraction of what Kenjirou is feeling.

Once crowning is over, Kenjirou is finally given the go to push again, and he gives it his all. He’s finally told it should only be one more push. Kenjirou goes limp as a cry is heard. He collapses back into Eita and they both hold their breath until Watanabe announces, “It’s a little omega girl!”

“You did it!” Eita exclaims, pressing a kiss against Kenjirou’s temple, “You did amazing!”

“Eita,” Kenjirou cries, “She’s here, Eita. She’s finally here.”

“I know, baby, you did so good.” Eita wipes at the tears falling down Kenjirou’s cheeks, even though there’s tears running down his own face. “You’re incredible, Kenjirou.”

Eita helps Kenjirou untie his hospital gown and a nurse places their baby girl against Kenjirou’s bare chest into his waiting arms. She’s slimy and red and her face is scrunched up as she screams, but she’s perfect. Neither of them can take their eyes off of her as nurses wipe her down.

“She’s so beautiful,” Eita murmurs, “You did it; you actually did it.”

“I did,” Kenjirou responds in awe, bringing their daughter upward, “She’s finally here.” He places a kiss to her forehead and scents her. “We’ve been waiting for you, Kotone.”

Eita shimmies out from behind Kenjirou to sit next to him. He leans into Kenjirou’s side, reaching over to brush a finger against Kotone’s soft cheek. “Hey, Kotone, it’s so good to finally meet you.”

He spares a glance at Kenjirou and he falls in love all over again. He’s sweaty and red-faced and he’s definitely seen better days, but Eita has never found him more beautiful. Kenjirou is absolutely the love of his life and he’s so happy to be experiencing this very moment with him.

Eita’s so enamored with his mate and his new daughter that he doesn’t even notice a nurse standing bedside, smiling at him. “Would you like to cut the cord, Dad?”

_Dad._ Yeah, that’s right. That’s _him_. He’s this little girl’s _dad_.

“Uh.” Eita hesitates for a moment, looking to Kenjirou for approval. Kenjirou doesn’t even notice anything going on around him, eyes trained only on their daughter. “Yeah,” Eita finally answers taking the scissors offered to him.

The nurse instructs him, showing him exactly where to cut between the clamps. Eita’s a little afraid, worried that he’s going to hurt Kenjirou or Kotone, but neither of them even notice as he struggles with the thick cord. He honestly thought this was going to be easy.

Finally, Kenjirou looks to Eita with watery eyes and a wide smile, tearing his eyes away from Kotone for the first time. “Do you want to hold her, Eita?”

Eita’s breath hitches and he nods eagerly. He strips himself of his T-shirt so he can hold her skin to skin. Carefully, Kenjirou passes Kotone to him. A new wave of tears overcomes him. Kenjirou laughs and wipes at Eita’s eyes, despite still crying himself.

“God, Kenjirou, she’s so beautiful.”

“I know.”

Eita can’t tear his eyes away from his daughter. “I love you so much. Thank you.”

Kenjirou wraps his arms around Eita’s shoulders and places a kiss against his temple. “I love you too, Eita.”

The placenta has been delivered by the time the nurses go to take Kotone away to assure she’s healthy. Kenjirou looks heartbroken as he turns to Eita. “Eita, please go with her,” He sounds just as heartbroken as he appears, “She has to be scared. I don’t want her to be alone.”

“Yeah, of course.” He brushes Kenjirou’s bangs back and places a kiss against his forehead, “I love you so much. You did so good, baby, so good.”

He slips his shirt back on before he follows after the nurses as they go about checking Kotone.

She whines and cries for Kenjirou as they weigh and measure her. She’s a tiny baby, surprisingly, weighing in at just under three kilograms and measuring only forty-seven centimeters, a far cry from Kenjirou’s four and a half kilogram estimation earlier in the day.

It hurts Eita to see her so upset. It takes everything for him not to take her from them when she cries in fear during all the tests they do. All his worries fade away though when they return her to him.

The nurses guide him on diapering and dressing Kotone. He learned how to do it on a doll in the classes he took with Satori, but it’s a whole different experience doing it with his own baby.

She has a few locks of caramel colored hair, matching Kenjirou’s. It’s not enough to cover her head, but enough that it’s visible. Eita covers the thin strands as he slips a tiny hat onto her head to keep her warm.

Everything fades away when she’s settled back into his arms. She stops crying when she’s finally held by her daddy. He smiles down at her a little nervously. He’s absolutely terrified, but he’s also not sure if he’s ever been happier. The only times that have come close is the day he mated with Kenjirou and the day they wed. He feels tears slip down his cheeks all over again.

He’s taken by surprise when she opens her eyes and stares up at him. He’s staring back at dark eyes identical to his own.

“Hey, Kotone.” He reaches his index finger out to her and she grasps it. His heart skips. “It feels like Mommy and Daddy have been waiting for you forever.”

In this moment, he knows he would do absolutely anything for this little girl.

He continues to whisper sweet nothings to her, telling her just how much he and Kenjirou love her. He tells her how everyone will be excited to meet her, from her Uncle Satori and her Uncle Toshi to her Uncle Taichi and the rest of the pack to her uncles Takao and Koichi to her Aunt Kana and her grandma and grandpa. He makes sure she knows just how spoiled she’ll be between not only himself and Kenjirou, but the pack. He tells her anything that comes to mind.

Eventually, he’s told they’re moving Kenjirou to another room.

He still can’t get over how little she is. He holds her tight as he’s guided down the hall, almost afraid she’s going to break. He takes the utmost care, terrified he’s going to drop her.

Kenjirou looks absolutely exhausted, but he watches the door in anticipation. When he sees Eita, he smiles and holds his arms out.

“There’s my baby.”

Eita grins back at him. “She missed you.” He says to Kenjirou. He smiles down at Kotone. “You missed Mommy, didn’t you, Kotone?”

Carefully, he settles Kotone against her mother. Kenjirou whispers softly to her as Eita climbs onto the bed next to him, snuggling up to his side. He rests his chin on Kenjirou’s shoulder, wrapping an arm around him.

“I love you,” Eita murmurs.

“I love you too.”

They watch their baby girl in awe.

“She has your hair, but she has my eyes,” Eita says, “I think she looks more like you though.” He runs a finger across her cheek. “You can see it in her little nose and her lips.”

“It’s kind of soon to tell,” Kenjirou replies, “She’s still going to change a lot.”

“I hope she takes after you.”

The lactation consultant comes in—an omega with short, shaggy brown hair—interrupting them. “Ready to feed her, Mama?”

Kenjirou’s anxious, but nods. He doesn’t let go of Kotone as Eita undoes his gown again.

Kenjirou expects things to go smoothly. It seems so natural every time he’s seen it done, so when the consultant guides him into position and Kotone latches and it hurts, he thinks he’s doing something wrong. He hisses in pain. “Should it feel like that?”

“Sometimes, but she’s not latching properly,” The consultant hums.

“Is she going to get enough to eat?” Eita asks, worried.

The consultant laughs, tickling Kotone’s cheek. “She’ll be fine.”

Kotone opens wide and the consultant helps adjust her. Kenjirou still doesn’t feel better. It’s painful and he feels like he’s doing it all wrong.

Eita watches him in concern. “Are you okay?”

“It still hurts.” Kenjirou frowns.

“It just takes time,” the consultant insists, “You’ll both get it over time.”

Eventually, Kotone seems to get her fill. The consultant helps lead them through burping her before taking her leave. Kenjirou still doesn’t feel right about it.

“If it hurts too much, there’s no shame in bottle feeding her,” Eita assures.

“It’s supposed to be better if _I_ feed her.”

“What matters is that she eats. It doesn’t matter if it’s formula.”

Kenjirou looks teary and Eita presses a kiss to his temple. “It’s going to be okay, babe. She’s fed. You did it. She’ll get the hang of it. She’s only like two hours old.”

“I guess,” Kenjirou murmurs, still not convinced.

They take a well-deserved nap, Kotone settled in a bassinet by the bed. It takes a lot for Kenjirou to put her down. Eita makes sure to snap a photo of her on his phone before squishing into the bed next to Kenjirou. They don’t sleep more than a couple hours. The nursing staff doesn’t really allow it, checking to make sure that Kenjirou’s healing properly. When they wake up, Eita finally sends a photo to the pack group chat.

**Eita 8:56am**

_She’s here!! A little omega! Semi Kotone born 3:43am July 13 2023 2.9kg and 47cm_

**Satori 8:56am**

_I see she doesn’t look like u! Very cute! (_ _＾_ _◇_ _＾)_

**Eita 8:57am**

_Asshole_

**Tsutomu 8:57am**

We’ve _been waiting all night!! She’s absolutely adorable!! Congrats!!_ _＼(_ _★^_ _∀^_ _★)_ _／_

**Kanji 8:57am**

_She’s adorable!! Congratulations!!!_

**Taichi 8:58am**

_She looks like Kenjirou. Are you sure she’s yours?_

**Kenji 8:58am**

_She does look like Kenjirou congrats!! Nobu says congrats too!_

**Wakatoshi 8:59am**

_She’s beautiful. Congratulations. How is Kenjirou doing?_

**Eita 9:00am**

_Thanks guys. He’s tired but he’s hanging in there_

**Hayato 9:00am**

_She looks just like Kenjirou congrats!_

**Reon 9:00am**

_Congrats! She’s gorgeous, Eita! Hope you guys are doing well!!_

**Satori 9:00am**

_When do we get to meet her!!_

**Tsutomu 9:01am**

_Ah!! I want to see her!_

Eita looks over to Kenjirou fondly as he tries once again to feed Kotone. He’s still having issues, which makes Eita frown, especially when he sees the tears in Kenjirou’s eyes. Eita reaches over and tickles Kotone’s cheek like he saw the consultant do last night. She opens wide and Kenjirou readjusts.

“I think she’s getting it,” Kenjirou mumbles, focused on Kotone, “But it still hurts.”

“We can talk to the consultant again.”

“I just,” Kenjirou pauses, sniffling a little, “Am I doing a bad job? Is it supposed to hurt like this?”

“Shh,” Eita hushes him, wrapping an arm around Kenjirou and pulling him tight against him, “You’re doing perfect. You don’t have to get it right away.”

Kenjirou carefully balances Kotone with one arm, wiping away at his eyes with his free hand. “I hate that my hormones are still all messed up.”

“It’s just part of having a baby, and you made a really beautiful baby.”

Kenjirou cracks a teary smile, holding Kotone closer to him. “She is beautiful.”

“Are you ready for some visitors?” Eita asks, smiling.

“That’s fine, I guess.”

**Satori 9:02am**

_Semisemi when do we get to see her???_

**Satori 9:02am**

_Semisemi (O∆O)_

**Satori 9:02am**

_Semisemi!!_

**Satori 9:03am**

_Semisemi???_ _つ_ _´Д`)_ _つ_

**Taichi 9:03am**

_Satori chill_

**Reon 9:04am**

_They’re probably feeding her. He’ll answer._

**Kenji 9:04am**

_Yeah babies require a LOT of attention_

**Eita 9:16am**

_Kenjirou’s fine with anytime_

**Satori 9:16am**

_Great! About time! Toshi and me will be there in 10 minutes!!_

**Wakatoshi 9:18am**

_We live fifteen minutes from the hospital, Satori._

**Hayato 9:18am**

_Why are you texting each other in the same house???_

The rest of the pack sends messages assuring Eita they’ll also be there soon. He sends the announcement to his parents, his sister, and Kenjirou’s brothers. They tell him they’ll visit later in the day so the pack can have time to visit first. He relays the message to Kenjirou.

Afterward, he snipes a photo of Kenjirou cradling Kotone in his arms. She reaches for the rings dangling on the chain around his neck. He makes it his new phone wallpaper. He wants to fill his entire phone with images of his baby girl, especially of ones with her and Kenjirou. He can’t wait to show her off to the world, but for now, she’s theirs.

“Hey, seeing her play with your necklace reminds me,” Eita says.

Kenjirou tears his attention always from Kotone to give Eita a skeptical look. “Reminds you of what?”

Eita hops off the bed to rummage through the duffel bag they brought. He pulls out a tiny white gift box, topped off with a purple ribbon. He slides back onto the bed next to Kenjirou.

“What is it?” Kenjirou asks, staring at the box.

“Open it,” Eita urges.

“I kind of have my hands full.”

They swap; Eita takes the baby and Kenjirou takes the box. Eita coos over Kotone as Kenjirou pulls at the ribbon ends. Eita watches in anticipation when Kenjirou finally opens the lid.

“Eita, this is so sweet.”

It’s a silver pendant for the necklace Kenjirou’s been wearing. It’s simple and rectangular, bearing the characters of Kotone’s name and a ruby at the bottom: her birthstone.

“I know you said you got attached to the necklace, so I thought I would get you something to put on it.” Eita smiles.

Kenjirou smiles back at him a little teary. “Thank you.”

He sets the box down on the bed—careful not to knock the pendant out of it—before reaching up to unclasp his necklace. He slides the pendant on next to his rings. “It feels like a charm bracelet at this point.”

“It’ll look better when you can wear your rings again.”

Kenjirou nods, clasping the necklace back around his neck. “I still love it though.”

“I’m glad.”

“Can I have my baby back?” He reaches his arms out toward Eita.

Eita pouts, carefully depositing Kotone into Kenjirou’s embrace. “She’s my baby too.”

“Yeah, but I spent nineteen hours in labor with her. I think I deserve some extra time.”

Tsutomu and Kanji are the first to arrive. They can be heard down the hall before they even enter the room.

_“We’re uncles again, Kanji! I’m gonna be the best uncle to her!”_

_“You’re definitely gonna be the cutest one!”_

Tsutomu’s face lights up when he and Kanji stand in the doorway. He’s vibrating in excitement. Kenjirou is giving all his attention to Kotone, but Eita gives them a grin. He’s still on the bed next to Kenjirou, arm wrapped around him.

“Hey guys,” Eita greets them.

“Is that her?” Tsutomu asks in awe. He steps into the room, Kanji trailing behind him. He shoves the bag he’s holding to Kanji. He goes to put it away.

“She’s not anyone else’s baby,” Kenjirou snarks.

“Yep!” Eita’s swelling with pride. “Our little Kotone!”

“She’s tiny!” Kanji exclaims as he shuffles over.

“Well you’re almost two hundred centimeters,” Kenjirou quips, finally looking away from Kotone, “Everything is probably tiny to you.”

“Kenji’s babies were just so much bigger. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a human that tiny!”

“Can I hold her?” Tsutomu looks like an excited puppy.

Eita pulls Kenjirou closer to him, assessing his reaction. “It’s okay if you don’t want to,” He assures. He knows Kenjirou can stick up for himself, but now is the time to be his biggest advocate.

Hesitantly, Kenjirou nods. Tsutomu sits on the edge of the bed and Kanji crouches down beside him, looking over his shoulder in anticipation. Kenjirou passes Kotone to Eita who settles the baby into Tsutomu’s arms. Eita adjusts Tsutomu’s hands to support her head and Kenjirou watches like a hawk, just in case something was to go wrong. Tsutomu stares at the baby in awe.

“You’re great at this, Tomu!” Kanji compliments and Tsutomu preens under the praise.

“We should have a baby, Kanji.”

Kanji’s eyes are wide as he stiffens. Eita snorts and Kenjirou laughs too.

“Nothing to say, Kanji?” Eita teases.

“No fair! Tsutomu got to hold her first?” Satori whines as he and Wakatoshi walk through the door. Wakatoshi is carrying a bag full of sweets among a couple others. He sets everything down on the counter on the side of the room.

Kanji relaxes a little, thinking that’s the end of future baby talk.

“Isn’t she adorable, Satori?” Tsutomu smiles at their head omega. “I bet me and Kanji could make a cuter one.”

Kanji tenses again. He’s not going to live through today. “Maybe we should think about getting married first.”

“Is that a proposal?” Satori’s wearing a shit-eating grin.

Tsutomu’s eyes are lit up in excitement. “We’ll get married and then we’ll have cuter babies than the rest of the pack!”

“You wish,” Kenjirou retorts.

“Obviously, Toshi and I will have the cutest baby,” Satori counters.

“Have you seen Kotone? She’s obviously the most beautiful baby.”

“You just think that because she’s _your_ baby.”

“You’re not allowed to hold her then,” Eita says, “She’s too cute for you.”

“Our baby will be the cutest, right, Wakatoshi?” Satori looks to his mate.

“I would rather not be a part of this,” Wakatoshi replies.

“Come on! You know our baby will be cuter!”

“Babies look like potatoes.”

Kenjirou looks offended. “My baby does _not_ look like a potato.”

“You said she was beautiful,” Eita adds, equally offended.

“It’s what you’re supposed to say,” Wakatoshi answers.

“Anyway,” Satori interrupts, kneeling in front of Tsutomu to get a better look at Kotone, “She’s pretty cute. Tiny though.” He reaches out, making grabby hands. “I want to hold her.”

“At least sit down,” Eita orders, “You’re dead if you drop her.”

Tsutomu carefully stands up, Kotone tucked tightly to his chest. Satori takes his place and stares expectantly at him, arms open. Kenjirou is tense. Eita fusses as Tsutomu settles the baby in Satori’s hold. He knows Satori knows how to hold a baby, but both he and Kenjirou are on edge right now. Satori is a natural though. He looks like he’s been holding babies his entire life.

Wakatoshi watches with a small smile. He crosses the room, kneeling in front of Satori and resting his arms on his thighs as he observes fondly. It’s bittersweet and almost feels too intimate to watch.

Kenjirou’s nearly startled when Wakatoshi turns to him, asking, “May I?”

“Oh,” He pauses, eyes a little wide, “Of course.”

Satori reluctantly passes Kotone to Wakatoshi. He obviously doesn’t want to give her up. Eita doesn’t even have to guide Wakatoshi; Satori takes the lead.

“Just like that, Toshi.”

“Is her head supported enough?” Wakatoshi is intensely serious, completely focused on making sure he’s doing everything right.

Satori nods, smiling. “Yeah, you’re perfect, miracle boy.”

After Kotone’s finally adjusted just right, Wakatoshi’s a natural too. Kenjirou and Eita ache for him and Satori.

Eventually, Kotone begins to cry. Tsutomu and Kanji panic, despite not actually holding the baby themselves.

“What does she want?” Kanji asks.

Eita cocks an eyebrow, amused. “She’s probably hungry.”

Wakatoshi brings Kotone around to Kenjirou. He’s more than happy to have his baby back in his arms.

He undoes his hospital gown and gets to work. It still hurts, but he tries to hide it. Kanji looks away, a blush on his face, while Tsutomu and Wakatoshi watch in awe. Eita finds it a little weird that they’re so interested— _he_ thinks it’s fascinating, but this is _his_ mate and baby—but he figures they’re just not used to seeing a baby fed, and as long as Kenjirou’s not uncomfortable, there’s no issue.

“So,” Satori begins, “The baby’s out. Why are you still fat?”

The room falls silent. Kenjirou looks like he could cry and Eita’s ready to fight. He doesn’t care that Satori’s his closest friend.

“Satori,” Eita growls, gaze intense. He lets off protective pheromones. He slips his arm around Kenjirou’s shoulders, pulling him close.

“How do you not know that when you’ve seen Kenji after every baby? There’s a lot of gunk left, asshole,” Kenjirou retorts, “You should’ve learned that in those stupid classes you took with _my_ mate.”

Tears do slip down his cheeks. He hates how emotional and vulnerable he is right now.

“Satori, you should apologize,” Wakatoshi suggests.

“Hey guys, sorry I’m late,” Reon announces as he walks through the door. He immediately picks up on the tense atmosphere. “I brought food,” He offers, trying to lighten the mood, “I figured you guys haven’t eaten for a while.”

Eita relaxes a little. “Yeah, neither of us have eaten since yesterday morning.” He turns to Kenjirou. “Are you hungry, babe?”

Kenjirou shrugs, his attention not leaving Kotone. His eyes are still watery and his lips are fixed into a slight pout.

Eita’s definitely hungry, but he didn’t dare think about eating while Kenjirou was in labor. The last thing he wanted to do was eat if Kenjirou couldn’t.

Reon rearranges things on the counter to sit down the bag he’s carrying. He offers another one to Eita who smiles at him.

“You guys don’t mind, do you?”

“Of course not,” Wakatoshi answers.

Eita pulls the bedside table over as Kenjirou burps Kotone. He goes about setting out containers.

Kenjirou’s expression kills Eita inside. He flashes him a reassuring smile. “It’s okay.”

Reon takes Kotone into his arms as Kenjirou and Eita eat. He doesn’t need any instruction. Tsutomu coos over her as Kanji and Wakatoshi watch closely. Satori scoots further onto the bed, crowding Kenjirou and Eita. He sits cross-legged, facing them. He reaches forward and rubs at Kenjirou’s leg.

“Sorry about what I said. I didn’t realize that your belly didn’t go away.”

Kenjirou looks up from his miso soup. “I mean, it’s true.”

Eita looks appalled. “No it’s not, you just had a baby!”

“Eita, the baby’s out.”

“But—“

“Hey! Hey!” Satori interrupts, “You have a beautiful, healthy daughter. I think you should be more concerned over your bangs than the baby bump.”

“Remind me how long you shaved your head,” Kenjirou quips.

Satori laughs, “Keep up that energy.”

Suddenly, Kotone begins to cry again and Kenjirou stiffens. He sets down the bowl and reaches out for his baby. “I’ll take her.”

“She stinks!” Kanji complains.

“She probably needs changed.” Kenjirou moves to get up, but hisses in pain. He’s still extremely sore after all his body’s gone through.

Satori pats his leg. “Don’t worry. I know how to do it. I owe you that much.”

“Are you sure?” Eita asks.

“Absolutely.”

Tsutomu follows behind Satori like a duckling, watching in curiosity. Kenjirou’s still on edge, but Satori obviously knows what he’s doing.

“Relax, babe,” Eita says, pressing a kiss against Kenjirou’s temple, “We’re not gonna have as much help at home.”

Kenjirou frowns, but nods. He loosens up a little, and leans against Eita, resting his head against his shoulder. He feels a lot better when Satori’s depositing Kotone back into his arms.

“Here you go, _Mom_.”

Kenjirou snuggles Kotone close to him and wears a fond expression as he stares down at her, but still manages to bite back, “Fuck off.”

Satori laughs and settles back on the edge of the bed, brushing his hand against Kenjirou’s leg.

“So how bad did it hurt?”

Kenjirou looks up to find Tsutomu staring at him with an innocent expression. “You want to know how bad it hurt pushing out a _three kilogram baby_?”

“It sounds kind of stupid when you put it that way.”

“It doesn’t really matter now.”

Satori bears a shit-eating grin. “Thinking about having your own baby, Tsutomu?”

“One day!”

“I think you’re gonna have to work on Kanji,” Eita laughs.

Attention wanders to where Kanji is curiously unwrapping a diaper, pulling at the tabs. Wakatoshi watches in wonder. Reon looks confused by their reactions. _It’s just a diaper._

Tsutomu pouts, crossing his arms, as he rests against the footboard of the hospital bed. “We’ve talked about it. He wants kids too. He’s just not ready yet.”

Satori’s smile softens as he reaches for Tsutomu’s thigh, giving him a couple pats. “You’re only twenty-six, Tomu, you have time.”

“I’m gonna be twenty-seven next month.”

“There’s still time,” Eita assures him.

“I’m twenty-nine. Am I too old?” Satori asks, smirking.

“It could take a while though. Satori’s been trying for over two years,” Kenjirou adds.

Kenjirou immediately regrets his words as everyone quiets.

“Kenjirou,” Eita mutters, but is interrupted by Satori’s forced laugh, “Haha, yeah, and that’s okay. There’s still time.”

“Satori,” Kenjirou sighs, “I didn’t mean—“

“Of course, you didn’t,” Satori looks cheery, but his voice is filled with venom. Kenjirou wonders if this is what it felt like to seriously face off against him on the volleyball court. “We can’t all just have happy accident babies.”

Tsutomu looks absolutely terrified and he quickly excuses himself, joining Kanji and Reon on the other side of the room. Wakatoshi must have felt Satori’s distress through their mating bond because he’s by his side within seconds. “Is everything okay, Satori?”

Satori’s smile is just as scary as he turns toward Wakatoshi. “Just great.” He stands up. “I think it’s time for us to go.”

“Satori, wait,” Kenjirou calls out.

“It’s fine.”

Satori is rushing toward the door. Wakatoshi gives them an apologetic look. “It was good seeing you. We’ll visit when you bring her home.”

“Let’s go, Wakatoshi!”

“Congratulations.” Wakatoshi heads after his mate and there’s a sob heard. Hayato and Taichi arrive just as Satori is storming out the door.

“Is everything okay?” Hayato asks, gaze fixed on Satori and Wakatoshi heading down the hall.

_“It’s not fair, Toshi!”_ Satori cries, completely heartbroken, _“They didn’t even try!”_

_“I know.”_

_“We had_ three _miscarriages! It’s not right!”_

_“I know, Satori.”_

“Kenjirou just said something he shouldn’t have,” Eita answers.

Kenjirou looks down at the bed, not even able to face Kotone. “I was trying to let Tsutomu know it might not happen right away.”

It sounds like Kenji and Takanobu have ran into them in the hall because Kenji’s voice can be heard asking what’s wrong.

_“Satori is upset over our infertility,”_ Wakatoshi answers.

_“It can still happen,”_ Kenji insists.

_“I don’t want to hear it from someone who’s had_ four _babies,”_ Satori snaps.

The rest of the pack shares some awkward glances. Taichi tries to break the funk by saying, “So let me see her I guess. That’s why we came here after all.”

Kenjirou nods. Taichi comes over to his side of the bed, stooping by him. Carefully, he takes Kotone, Kenjirou correcting him. Hayato comes over to watch after putting away the bags he and Taichi brought.

“You know my sister has a kid, right? I know how to hold a baby.”

“I don’t care how you hold _her_ baby, this is _my_ baby and you need to support her head.”

Kenji and Takanobu come into the room, obviously uncomfortable from their run-in with Satori.

“She’s beautiful!” Kenji exclaims when he sees Kotone cradled in Taichi’s arms.

Kenjirou and Eita offer their thanks.

Kenji and Takanobu take turns holding her as well, neither needing assistance.

By the time Tsutomu and Kanji excuse themselves, Tsutomu still seems a little unsettled after Satori’s outburst. Reon doesn’t leave long after. Hayato doesn’t visit long either. Taichi, Kenji, and Takanobu stay a little longer. Everyone promises to come help out after Eita and Kenjirou bring Kotone home. Eita makes sure to thank everyone.

And they’re alone again. It’s just their tiny family: Eita, Kenjirou, and Kotone.

Kenjirou is still torn up over Satori. “I should’ve known better.”

“I’m not going to tell you you’re in the right,” Eita sighs, “It’s a hard time for both of you.”

Kenjirou leans back into the bed. He brings Kotone up to his face, placing a kiss on her head. “We’re lucky.”

“Yeah, we are.” Eita lays on his side, curling into Kenjirou. He rests his hand against Kotone. He smiles fondly.

Kenjirou’s eyes droop and he falls asleep. Eita fights off exhaustion, making sure that Kotone is okay. He doesn’t dare remove her from Kenjirou’s embrace, but he watches her closely. She slumbers peacefully cradled against Kenjirou’s chest. Eita figures she’s been through a lot too.

Kenjirou doesn’t sleep long because a nurse comes to check how he’s healing. Eita takes Kotone as the nurse presses down on Kenjirou’s belly. He lets out a cry of pain and the nurse seems unbothered. Eita flinches though. He wants to tear her off of him, free Kenjirou of his pain, but he knows it’s necessary for Kenjirou to heal. It doesn’t mean he likes it though.

The nurse cleans Kenjirou up before leaving again.

The visits with Eita’s parents and Kana, as well as Kenjirou’s brothers, go smoothly, but Eita has to shoo them out shortly. He can see Kenjirou is still exhausted and he’s going to make sure his mate gets the rest he needs.

Eita convinces Kenjirou to let Kotone sleep in the bassinet and they both fall into a deep sleep. It only lasts a couple hours before nurses return to check on Kenjirou. Kenjirou is finally allowed to shower that evening and he’s ecstatic about that; even if his body is still sore, he at least gets to feel clean.

It’s that night that Kenjirou brings up something surprising. The two of them are curled up on the hospital bed, Eita has Kotone tucked into his arms. He’s getting her to grip his finger. Kenjirou leans against him, an arm wrapped around his shoulders as he rests his chin on Eita’s shoulder.

“I don’t know how much I want to go through all of this again, but,” Kenjirou starts, “I want to offer being a surrogate to Satori and Wakatoshi.”

Eita turns to him, eyes a little wide. “Babe, that’s a big decision. Are you sure?”

“I _know_ it’s a big decision, but they’re our pack and it means a lot to them.”

Eita nods, attention going back to Kotone. He feels absolutely amazing knowing that he has this little girl in his life. He’s terrified, but he’s also so happy. He wants the same for his pack mates if that’s what they truly want.

“If that’s your decision, of course I’ll support you.”

The cycle of interrupted sleep to check on Kenjirou continues over the rest of his and Kotone’s hospital stay, but he and Eita are finally able to bring their daughter home on the fifteenth of July after two long days.

Eita finally tears himself away from his family long enough to clean his car and the staff makes sure the car seat is in order.

He returns to the hospital room to find Kenjirou dressing Kotone. She’s donned in a white, short-sleeved onesie with a pink outline of a rabbit on it, along with pink leggings with white outlines of identical rabbits. On her feet, she has tiny white booties—ones that Kenjirou crocheted. She’s wearing a little pink hat with bunny ears, also crocheted by Kenjirou.

“We really ran with the bunny thing, huh?” Eita asks as he gets a good view of his daughter.

“It’s cute.” Kenjirou pouts.

He goes to take her into his arms, but Eita stops him. “I need to get a photo first.”

Kenjirou has taken a fair share of photos, but not nearly as many as Eita. He lends it to his exhaustion. He can always steal them from Eita later.

Eita posts the photo to his Instagram and Twitter—the first he’s shared—along with photos of Kenjirou cradling her in the hospital bed, a sniped photo; Eita cradling her, also sniped but this one stolen from Kenjirou; and one of them all together that Reon had taken for them. He announces her name, her date of birth, and her weight and length, as well how much he loves her and Kenjirou, thanking him for giving Eita such a beautiful baby girl. Eita knows it’s cheesy, but he’s so proud; he’s proud to be a dad, proud of Kenjirou, proud of his little girl. He wants to show his family off to the world.

Kenjirou gathers Kotone in his arms, giving her a kiss on her forehead. He scents her, making sure she smells strongly of him. “I’m ready to get home.”

Eita smiles at him. “Yeah, me too.”

When they get to the car, Kenjirou climbs into the backseat with Kotone. They both fuss over making sure she’s properly buckled into her car seat. Kenjirou is draped over the car seat the whole way home, watching Kotone carefully. He reaches in and lets her grasp his finger or runs his finger against her cheek. Eita is constantly checking through the rear view mirror, smiling as he catches a glimpse of them.

Eita carries the bags in and Kenjirou brings in Kotone, tucked away in the car seat. Once everything is put away, they’re not exactly sure what to do. They have a new baby, but what exactly does that mean?

Their pack, as well as the mommy group, visits as they’re still adjusting to their new routine. The help is welcome as they offer to do various chores and bring home cooked meals.

One of the days, Reon brings Mako. She thinks Kotone looks exactly like a little doll. She’s excited when she gets to hold the baby in her lap. She’s absolutely beaming.

Kenji and Takanobu leave the kids with Kenji’s parents when they visit, knowing four kids will be a handful. The kids will get to meet Kotone at some point anyway; they’re a pack after all.

Kenji mentions that he’s shown his daughters photos. Emiko and Shiori think Kotone looks like a doll too and that they want to play house with her.

It takes a few days, but Satori and Wakatoshi eventually visit. It’s in the evening after Wakatoshi is done with practice and Satori has closed the bakery for the day. They’ve picked up some shirasu and Satori brings more sweets.

Kenjirou’s honestly surprised to see Satori after what he said. They haven’t talked since the day Kotone was born, not even in the pack group chat.

Eita greets them as if nothing happened. It’s not between the three of them, after all. Kenjirou feels unnerved though when Satori asks to speak to him alone.

They’re seated in the living room, across from each other on the couch. Eita and Wakatoshi take Kotone in another room, leaving just the two of them. It’s completely silent.

“I—“ Both Satori and Kenjirou start at the same time, trying to ease the tension. Kenjirou pushes through, “I’m sorry about what I said. I was trying to make Tsutomu realize it might not happen right away, but I didn’t think about how it would actually affect you.”

Satori smiles weakly. “I know you didn’t mean anything by it.” He takes Kenjirou’s hands into his own. “I overreacted.”

Kenjirou stares down at their hands before finally meeting Satori’s gaze. “It’s going to happen one way or another. I’m sure.”

“I hope so. We…kind of stopped trying.”

Kenjirou takes a breath. He’s been mulling over this for a few days. He discussed it with Eita the day Kotone was born of course, but he’s still hesitant to bring it up, not sure how Satori’s going to take.

“I’ve talked it over with Eita,” He starts, still pondering just how to phrase it, “If you decide you still want a baby and it’s too much for you, then, I would be willing to carry one for you.”

Satori’s eyes widen more than usual. His expression is unreadable. The tears form at the corners of his eyes and he lunges forward, wrapping his arms around Kenjirou.

“Hey! I’m still really sore!”

Satori ignores him, nuzzling into his scent glands. “Thank you!”

Kenjirou reluctantly wraps his arms around Satori, hugging him back. “Yeah, I mean, I love you, I guess.”

“I knew it!” Satori pulls back, “I love you too. Thank you so much!”

“You’re really loud,” Eita chimes in from the doorway. He has a smirk on his face though. “I guess you broke the news?”

“News?” Wakatoshi asks, appearing beside Eita. He has Kotone tucked in his arms.

“Kenjirou said he would carry a baby for us!” Satori beams.

Wakatoshi looks surprised and Kenjirou isn’t sure what to make of his expression, whether it’s good or bad. He looks between Kenjirou and Eita. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah,” Kenjirou answers, “We’re a pack, right?”

Wakatoshi passes Kotone to Eita, making sure she’s comfortable, before making his way over to Kenjirou. Kenjirou’s taken by surprise when Wakatoshi wraps his arms around him. Satori’s laughing.

“Thank you.”

“It’s not that big of a deal,” Kenjirou mutters, wrapping his arms around Wakatoshi.

“It’s a very big deal,” Wakatoshi replies as he releases. He turns to Eita. “And you’re okay with this?”

Eita shrugs. “This is all Kenjirou. I’ll support him no matter what.”

Eita finds himself in a hug next. Satori’s laughter is contagious and Kenjirou finds himself chuckling too.

“Watch the baby!” Eita warns.

“I think this is the cuddliest I’ve seen Toshi. With other people anyway.” Satori is all smiles. “I’m happy too though.” He goes in for another hug from Kenjirou.

“We hugged already.”

Wakatoshi has released from Eita and he wears a fond smile. “I’m very grateful for you two.”

“We love you guys,” Eita says.

“I…love you too. I believe Satori feels the same.”

“Of course I do!” Satori exclaims.

Kotone begins to whine and Eita brings her over to Kenjirou. Satori lets go, allowing him room to feed her. However, when Kotone is secure in Kenjirou’s arms, Satori pulls Eita down into his lap.

“Hey!”

“Can’t get away without thanking you!”

“I’m not the one who’s gonna be doing the work.”

“Still.”

Satori plants a sloppy, wet kiss against Eita’s cheek, causing him to let out a cry of disgust. Kenjirou laughs as Eita wipes at his face with his T-shirt.

Things may have been rocky throughout his pregnancy, but Kenjirou’s sure that everything is going to work out. He and Eita are still on good terms with Satori and Wakatoshi, despite everything that has happened. They love their pack and they absolutely love their daughter. No matter what happens, he knows they’re going to be okay. It always is.


	35. Epilogue

**Tuesday, May 21, 2024**

It turns out that Kenjirou didn’t need to act as a surrogate for Satori and Wakatoshi after all. During Satori’s next heat in September, he conceived by accident. The pack held their breath, hoping this pregnancy would last past the first trimester. He was well into the second trimester—halfway through the pregnancy even—by the time Kenjirou had his first heat in January following Kotone’s birth. It was still a tense time. Anything could happen, but Satori carried nearly to full term.

The Olympics is only weeks away, but Wakatoshi definitely deserves the break before he returns for the second time. Eita and Kenjirou find him with the happiest expression they’ve ever seen him wear as he paces around Satori’s hospital room, cradling a tiny pink bundle. He looks so serene as he whispers to the baby in his arms, holding her out so he can get a good view. Satori watches him with a huge smile on his face. He looks absolutely exhausted—he had a late night last night being that he gave birth not long before his thirtieth birthday ended—but he also looks like he’s in pure bliss.

Kenjirou and Eita almost feel uncomfortable interrupting. They’ve been in this situation: the intimate moment when Kotone was their little secret, before they shared her with the world. Satori hears them though, and his attention shifts from his husband to his pack mates in the doorway.

“Hey! You came to meet Asuka!” Satori exclaims.

Wakatoshi seems to finally break out of his trance. His attention is pried from his daughter to his pack mates.

“It’s nice to see you,” Wakatoshi says.

“Yeah! You guys picked a nice name,” Eita replies.

“I know!” Satori beams. “It’s after Asuka Langley Soryu!”

“Only you would name your kid after an anime character,” Kenjirou deadpans.

Satori waves his hand. “Please, it’s not that unusual of a name. Besides, Toshi came up the name, right, Toshi?”

Wakatoshi nods. “That’s right.”

Eita sits down the bags he’s carrying and Kenjirou makes his way over to Wakatoshi. He peaks at the little girl in his arms.

“Let Kenjirou hold her,” Satori urges.

Wakatoshi frowns and seems hesitant, but he passes Asuka off to Kenjirou. Even though Kenjirou has his hand perfectly under her to support her little head, Wakatoshi still fusses and adjusts his positioning.

Eita peaks over, getting a good view of the newborn. He’s taken aback by just how much she looks like Satori. Satori was absolutely exhausted after giving birth, obviously, which meant that the announcement in the group chat was left up to Wakatoshi, who isn’t one to really send photos, so seeing their daughter for the first time is shocking.

Asuka’s nose and lips are a perfect replica of Satori’s and she stares up at them with wide red eyes, exactly like her mother’s. Most eye catching of all is underneath the little pink cap where a bit of shocking red hair peaks out. The hair is probably where they came up with the name, even if the reds are different shades.

“Are you sure Wakatoshi’s the father?” Kenjirou asks.

Wakatoshi seems to panic a little, as if this was a genuine concern. Surely, Satori would never cheat on him. “Why would you ask that?”

“She looks exactly like Satori,” Eita explains.

Satori stiffens at the comment. Kenjirou wonders if Satori doesn’t want Asuka to look like him.

“Ah,” Wakatoshi replies, “I’m sure I’m her father.”

Satori laughs awkwardly, “I must have strong genes. I would have loved to see a bit of Wakatoshi in her, but she’s our little girl, either way.”

So he is concerned over her appearance.

“She’s still beautiful,” Eita assures, picking up on Satori’s insecurities. Satori didn’t exactly have a good relationship with his appearance growing up, Eita knows that. Satori’s probably worried what that means when Asuka looks just like him.

Kenjirou passes the baby to Eita. Wakatoshi once again is making sure he’s holding her correctly. “Even if she looks like a potato.” Eita smirks.

“My daughter does not look like a potato,” Wakatoshi responds, a hint of offense, “She’s beautiful, just like her mother.”

“You said _my_ baby looked like a potato,” Kenjirou retorts.

“I thought babies looked like potatoes until I saw Asuka.”

“Hypocrite.”

Satori’s smiling wide. He seems so happy.

Kenjirou makes his way over to the bed, sitting on the edge. He rubs at Satori’s leg.

“Feels good, doesn’t it?”

“Absolutely. I don’t think I’ve been happier!” Satori leans back into the bed, expression fond, “Marrying Toshi comes close, and becoming mates too, but this is different. We’ve been waiting so long for this.”

“I’m happy for you.”

“Thanks. I’m happy for us too.”

“She’s beautiful,” Kenjirou assures, “Don’t worry.”

Satori has a weak smile as he sits back up. “Thanks.”

“Is she everything you wanted?”

“Everything and more.”

Eventually, the rest of the pack pours in. It feels so natural having Asuka around.

“Would you want to do it again?” Eita asks as they’re leaving the hospital, “Give Kotone a little brother or sister?”

“Are you going to carry them?” Kenjirou retorts. His expression doesn’t match his response though; he wears a fond smile. “Maybe,” he finally says, “I want to enjoy Kotone a little longer.”

Eita gives Kenjirou’s hand a squeeze before bringing it to his lips, kissing his knuckle where his wedding ring rests. “Yeah, she’s only going to be little for so long. I’ll be ready whenever you are.”

“We’ll figure it out together.”

“We always do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this. I had a lot of fun writing it.
> 
> I feel like a better ending might’ve been UshiTen coming to terms that they can’t have a baby (and just being Kotone’s favorite uncles) or them adopting a baby, but I couldn’t resist them having a baby that looks like Tendou. (Remember when Tendou asked about naming a little boy Eijirou? They end up having a son later too who also looks like him.) There was a post a while ago (if I find it I’ll link it) about UshiTen having a kid that looked like Tendou who gets bullied for their appearance—like Tendou—and Ushijima assures both of them and I thought it was really sweet, so their kids look like Tendou. (Plus Tendou’s such a cutie anyway.)
> 
> I’m not sure what to do with myself now that I’m finished with this fic lmao I’ve spent three months on it and spending hours and hours every day on it. I’d like to write more of SemiShira in this AU, like them getting together, when Shirabu stops suppressants, maybe their wedding, the tour that Semi goes on after Kotone’s born (which will be angsty because Shirabu goes with him this time and they struggle with Kotone on the road. It sounds dumb, but I have ideas), there’s another one shot I started with an older Kotone breaking her arm and Shirabu stressing over his baby. There’s also their second baby I have in mind, which is when Tendou is successfully pregnant for the second time and Goshiki is pregnant for the first time. I also want to write something about SemiShira getting their bunnies from their apartment. It won’t even be strictly omegaverse dynamics; it just takes place in this AU lol
> 
> I also have the UshiTen companion fic to this started. It’s pretty rough right now though. It’s going to follow from their engagement—when they decide to start trying for a baby—to Asuka’s birth. I started a KuroKen mpreg piece too (I started it six years ago, but with the manga being done now, it needs some work. I hate what jobs I gave Kuroo, Bokuto, and Iwaizumi lmao) as well as a KogaGoshi I started recently. I’d also love to write more on AoFuta and their kids since I adore them so much.
> 
> I’d love to work on more SemiShira since they’re my favorite. I’m probably going to work on something Shiratorizawa for sure though.
> 
> Let me know if there’s something you’d like to see! I’m pretty open at the moment since I feel kind of empty finishing this.

**Author's Note:**

> I feel like I should note about Aone and Futakuchi having four kids. I saw a post a few months ago on Tumblr (if I ever find it again I’ll link it) that had an idea of Aone having four little daughters that looked up to him and I thought it was the most precious idea. He’s a good daddy. He and Futakuchi end up having a son for their fourth child in this fic, but I still adore the characters I’ve made for their kids. One day I’ll have to write more on them because they don’t get to be that developed in this fic.
> 
> Anyway, thank you for reading. This is the longest fic I’ve ever written and the proudest I’ve ever been of one. I don’t think it’s going to get much attention, but I’ve spent so long on it that I thought I might as well share it in case this is something someone else was looking for.


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